said. "I had come down from Jack's room, and was sitting in the
library, when I saw him sneak up on the porch, and try to get away
with it. He dropped it like a hot potato when I sang out to him.
But whose is it? Doesn't look like the one Cora uses when she goes
off for a week-end, that is, unless you girls have taken to wearing
more lace on your dresses than you used to."

"It belongs to the lace seller--Inez--you know, the one we spoke of,"
said Belle. "She's here--in a sort of collapse from hunger. And she
has told the strangest story--all about a political crime--her father
in prison--secret papers and a mysterious man after them."

"Good!" cried Waker, with a short laugh. "I seem to have fitted in
just right to foil the villain in getting the papers. Say, better
not let Jack know about this, or he'll be on the job, too, and what he
needs just now is a rest--eh, Harry?"

"That's it," agreed the other college youth, whom Belle had not
noticed since coming down stairs in such haste.

"Wally robbed me of the honors," complained Harry. "I was just going
to make after the fellow."

"And was he really going to steal the papers?" asked Belle.

"I don't know as to that," Walter answered.

"I don't know anything about any papers. But Harry and I were
sitting here, after seeing that Jack was comfortable in his room,
waiting for the doctor, when I heard someone come up the steps. At