"She's a born fighter, that Leslie, and it's she that we're up against, and not Wilkinson. Now the sooner Peter V. wins his fight, the better for us; but this minx is blocking him, though I admire her for it, I must say." "We'll make her marry Beekman," declared Mrs. Peter V. The woman's confidence in her own powers brought a sarcastic smile to his lips. "It isn't a part of my game that she shall marry him," he argued. "The essential thing is that she shall engage herself to him. I say that she will never marry him." "But Beekman can't be put out of the way as easily as----" "There has been too much blundering already," said Flomerfelt, gloatingly, for the look of fear in her eyes had not escaped him. For a moment that seemed minutes they were silent. Finally Flomerfelt announced: "The long and short of it is that I don't intend that this Beekman shall marry her, and you've got to help me." "Of course," said the lady, rejoicing that at last her services would be brought into play. "But how? What would you suggest?" " ... That you go and see him secretly," he told her, and then proceeded to unfold his plan of what she should say to him. "You'll go now?" he asked, observing the readiness in which she lent herself to his scheme, "and I'll go with you, that is, part way." And in no way concerned as to the outcome of her dishonourable action--so confident was she of Flomerfelt's ability to carry out any project that he might undertake--Mrs. Peter V., without the slightest compunction, swept out of the room to make ready for their little excursion to Beekman's apartments. In a surprisingly short space of time she came back arrayed in a long fur motor-coat and a hat perched upon her head with a rakishness that she thought quite smart, but which, in reality, had not the remotest chance of success unless worn by a very young and pretty girl. And notwithstanding the fact that her eyes were over-bright, as were her cheeks, there was no lack of self-satisfaction in the manner in which she carried herself as together they passed out through the entrance door, stepped into her limousine, and were off. But scarcely had the limousine passed out of sight of the house than Jeffries was summoned to the door once more. "It's Mr. Beekman back again, Miss Leslie," were the words with which the butler interrupted Wilkinson's insistence that Leslie should listen to his final command; "and he says that he must see you at once." Wilkinson's eyes gleamed as he snapped out: "See him again, Leslie, and patch things up. Mind you, if you don't take him, I'll drag you to him and make you." Frightened lest he should see Beekman before she saw him herself, for she realised that her father was desperate for some unknown reason and quite capable of carrying out his threat, Leslie swept on past Jeffries and into the room where Beekman was waiting, his eyes bright with a new hope.