"Don't be a fool, Weiss," he said. "This sort of thing won't do. You've
lost your head. Beg Miss Longworth's pardon and come away. She is quite
right. There is no excuse for our behaving like this."

Weiss hesitated for a moment, looked into Virginia's face himself, and
with a shrug of the shoulders admitted defeat. The two men moved
toward the door.

"I am going to call now upon your uncle's physician," Weiss said. "I am
going to tell him that whatever the risk to your uncle may be, we must
have an interview with him."

"As you please," Virginia answered. "That has nothing to do with me."

They left the room and closed the door behind them. Virginia, breathing
a little quickly, crossed the room and tried the desk, but it was still
fast locked. She looked down at the carpet and found it undisturbed.
Then she stood up, and started violently. The inner door leading into
the secretaries' room was open, and her uncle was standing there upon
the threshold. He smiled at her benevolently.

"I congratulate you, Virginia," he said. "You have routed two of the
worst scoundrels in New York. Now please help me to get upstairs again
without being seen."



CHAPTER IX