It was Lane who spoke. Slowly she turned toward him.

"You know well enough what I mean."

The implication that she intended was clear. She had addressed the
remark to him, but it was a stab at Maude Euston.

"I know only what you wanted me to do--and I refused. Is there
more still?"

I wondered whether Lane could really have been involved.

"Quick--what DO you mean?" demanded Kennedy, authoritatively.

The woman turned to him:

"Suppose this news of the robbery is out? What will happen? Do you
want me to tell you, young lady?" she added, turning again to
Maude Euston. "I'll tell you. The stock of the Continental Express
Company will fall like a house of cards. And then? Those who have
sold it at the top price will buy it back again at the bottom. The
company is sound. The depression will not last--perhaps will be
over in a day, a week, a month. Then the operators can send it up
again. Don't you see? It is the old method of manipulation in a
new form. It is a war-stock gamble. Other stocks will be affected
the same way. This is our reward--what we can get out of it by
playing this game for which the materials are furnished free. We
have played it--and lost. The manipulators will get their reward
on the stock-market this morning. But they must still reckon with