All three laughed, for the little family was in better shape financially than it had been for some time. Tom’s wages went a long way toward supporting the two lonely women, and, with what sewing Mrs. Baldwin and her sister could do, they had no fears, at least for the present. In accordance with the plan he and Mr. Boise had made, Tom concealed himself in the clerk’s room about ten o’clock. He wanted to be in plenty of time. The big office building was deserted, except for the watchman, and there was no noise, save his footsteps as he went from floor to floor, ascertaining that everything was all right. Gradually it became more silent down in the street, as the traffic grew less. “I hope he comes,” thought Tom, as he sat in a chair in a dark corner, the branch telephone ready to his hand. Midnight struck on a distant church bell. Tom, who caught himself nodding, sat up with a start. Surely that was a noise of some one coming along the corridor. It might be the watchman. No, it was some one coming into the law offices. Tom heard a key inserted in a lock. Then some one entered. There was the click of an electric-light switch being turned on, and then Tom knew Mr. Cutler had kept the appointment. The boy, drawing back farther into the shadow, heard the lawyer going from room to room. Evidently he was taking no chances on being discovered. “I wonder if he’ll come in here,” thought Tom. He got up from the chair, and silently hid behind a big filing cabinet. And not a moment too soon, for, the next instant, the door opened and Mr. Cutler came in, turning on a light as he did so. CHAPTER XXII THE MISSING PAPERS Tom hardly breathed, fearful lest he might be discovered. But the lawyer was apparently satisfied with casually looking into the room, for, in a moment, he had turned out the light and Tom heard him going back to the main apartment. “Now to listen to what they say,” thought the telephone boy. “I hope Sandow calls him up.” No sooner had he spoken than he heard from outside, the buzz which told that one of the disk signals had fallen. Tom had purposely left the buzzing arrangement on, so that he might know when the call came in. “There it is,” he went on. But it did not continue long for Mr. Cutler shifted the lever controlling it, and the buzzing ceased. The lawyer knew how to operate the switchboard. Tom softly lifted the receiver from the hook of the instrument at his side. He did it carefully in order that the click, which always takes place when this is done, might sound as softly as possible in the listening ear of Mr. Cutler. Then Tom heard voices in conversation, and he knew that the two plotters were making their plans. He listened intently. “Is everything ready?” he heard the lawyer ask.