The girl looked at him astonished. She could not conceive that a man like the one looking at her could be serious in talking of a business proposition. “With me?” she demanded, and Taylor could see that the idea was not pleasing. He resolved to abandon his usual hectoring tactics and adopt softer modes. “I mean it,” he asserted. “You said you’ve read about all this smuggling and so on. Believe me, you’ve not read a thousandth part of what’s going on all the time, despite all our efforts to check it. The difficult part is that many of the women are so socially prominent that it isn’t easy to detect them. They move in the sort of world you move in.” He leaned forward and spoke impressively. “But it’s a world where neither I nor my men could pass muster for a moment. Do you follow me?” “I hear what you say,” she said, “but--” He interrupted her, “Miss Cartwright, we are looking for someone who belongs in society by right. Someone who is clever enough to provide us with information and yet never be suspected. We want someone above suspicion. We want someone, for instance, like you.” That his proposition was offensive to her he could see from the faint flush that passed over her face and the rather haughty tone that she adopted. “Really, Mr. Taylor,” she cried, “you probably mean well, but--” Again he cut her short. “Just listen a moment, Miss Cartwright,” he begged. “I have reason to know that your family has been in financial difficulties since your father died.” He looked at her shrewdly. “The position I hinted at could be made very profitable. How would you like to enter the secret service of the United States Customs?” He could see she was far from being placated at his hint of financial reward. “This is quite too preposterous,” she said icily. “It may possibly be your idea of a joke, Mr. Taylor, but it is not mine.” “I’m not joking,” he cried, “I’m in dead earnest.” “If that’s the case,” she returned, rising, “I must ask you to get the papers regarding the ring.” “They’ll be here at any moment,” he answered. “I’m sorry you don’t care to entertain my proposition, but it’s your business after all. By the way,” he added, after a moment’s pause, “there’s another little matter I’d like to take up with you while we’re waiting. Do you recall a George Bronson, the claim agent of the New York Burglar Insurance Company, the company which insured the jewels that were stolen from you?” “I think I do,” she returned slowly, “but--” “Well, that company has had a great deal of trouble with society women who have got money by pawning their jewels and then putting in a claim that they were stolen and so recovering from the company on the alleged loss.” The girl looked at him, frowning. “Are you trying to insinuate that--” “Certainly not,” Taylor purred amiably. “Why, no. I’m merely explaining that that’s what Bronson thought at first, but after investigating, he found out how absurd the idea was.” “Naturally,” she said coldly.