furnish."

She paused. No one seemed to breathe.

"Now," she added impressively, "at ten per cent. commission the half
million that he saved for you yields fifty thousand dollars. That,
gentlemen, is the amount of the shortage--an offset."

"The deuce it is!" exclaimed Beverley.

Constance reached for a telephone on the desk near her.

"Get me the Law Division at the Customs House," she asked simply.

Dumont was pale and almost speechless. Beverley could ill suppress
his smothered rage. What could they do? The tables had been turned.
If they objected to the amazing proposal Constance had made they
might all go to jail. Dodge even might go free, rich. They looked at
Dodge and Mrs. Dunlap. There was no weakening. They were as
relentless as their opponents had been before.

Dumont literally tore the telephone from her. "Never mind about that
number, central," he muttered.

Then he started as if toward the door. The rest followed. Outside
the accountant had been waiting patiently, perhaps expecting
Drummond to call on him to corroborate the report. He had been
listening. There was no sound of high voices, as he had expected.
What did it mean?