"Really," said Virginia, "I should give you a good shaking for not answering all my letters!" "Your letters!" cried Janet. "I've received only two letters from you in goodness knows how long! I answered them; and wrote you a dozen to which I got not a word of reply." They gazed at each other in blank uncertainty for a minute or two, and every trace of laughter died from Miss Collier's face. Her blue eyes began to flash. "Then," she said, "our letters were intercepted. I can't remember whether I posted any of mine or not, but I was so worried over father that it is doubtful if I did. I let my maid attend to that. She nearly always brought the mail to me, too. When I obtained positive proof that she was dishonest, I discharged her. Even now it's hard to believe she was so treacherous." "But why should she intercept our letters? I don't understand, Virginia." "There has been a dreadful plot to ruin my father. You'll hardly believe it when I tell you. I find it difficult to believe, even now." She shivered, some of the color leaving her face. "It was necessary to cut us off from any true information of what was happening to his business interests. Letters from you might have given me an inkling, Janet, and so they were secured and destroyed before they ever reached my hands. Other letters met the same fate. Mr. Weegman declared he wrote several which I know my father never got." "Weegman!" exclaimed Locke incredulously. "Why, he--" "Doctor Dalmers warned Mr. Weegman that father must not be disturbed or excited in the least over business matters. He said such a thing might have a fatal effect on his heart. Still Weegman says he wrote guardedly several times, mildly hinting that things were not going right." "The liar!" whispered Lefty to himself. A bit in the background, Jack Stillman was listening with keen interest, thinking what a sensational special article the truth regarding this affair would make.