"Auntie has been very kind to me, in spite of her quarrel with father," said Virginia, when the lady had left the room. "They have not spoken to each other for years. It is so ridiculous, so childish, for a brother and sister who have been devoted! Both are stubborn. And yet Aunt Elizabeth is the kindest, gentlest woman in the world. She lost an only daughter, and she says I seem to fill the vacant place. She has made me feel very much at home." Then she began chatting with Janet about things of mutual interest. Locke joined Stillman, who had walked to the far end of the room. "This Weegman is either a fool or much cleverer than we thought him," said the reporter swiftly, in a low tone. "I don't believe he's a fool." "How have you figured it out?" Lefty questioned. "It was a mistake to think him not wise to Parlmee. And why, if he is hand in glove with Garrity, did he tell her that Garrity was concerned in the miserable business?" "He told her that to-day?" "Yes." "Why didn't he tell her before? Weegman is in town. Have you seen him?" The pitcher told of his meeting with both Weegman and Garrity, and how he had defied them. Stillman's face cleared a little. "Look here, Locke, that fellow Weegman will double cross any one. You put him next to the fact that you were wise to Garrity. The whole bunch must know that Collier has fired his crooked doctor. Of course, Dalmers notified them. After talking with you, Weegman began to realize that the whole plot might fall through. He lost no time in beginning to hedge his bets. He's trying to fix it so that he'll fall safe if the business blows up." "But why did he tell her of Parlmee? We thought he didn't know about that." "I'm not as sure about Parlmee as I was," admitted the reporter frankly. "Weegman has been trying to blacken him to her right along. I'll own up now that it was an anonymous communication that first put me on the track of Parlmee. There have been others of the same sort tending to incriminate him. I've wondered where they came from. Now I think I know. Weegman is the answer." "By Jove!" exclaimed Lefty. "You believe it was he who directed suspicion toward Parlmee in the first place?" "You've got me. That being the case, instead of being a dupe, this Weegman has put something over that we didn't suspect him of. He's after Collier's daughter, and it would help him if he could turn her against his rival." Locke's face cleared. His relief was evident. "This is all speculation," said the reporter hastily. "Don't be too quick to accept it as a settled fact. Parlmee's behavior has been suspicious enough to require some explaining from him. Perhaps he can clear it up. We know Weegman has tried to put the Blue Stockings on the blink, and we're dead certain he hasn't knowingly done so as the assistant of Parlmee. Now how do you figure on that?" "Parlmee's innocent, as I fancied. Weegman is the chief rascal."