And Maggie showed to the eye that she was better than her best, for
Barney exclaimed the instant he was beside her: "Gee, Maggie, you look
like the Queen of Sheba, whoever that dame was! Any guy would fall for
you to-night--and fall so hard that he'd break, or go broke!"
But Barney was too eager to await any response. "What's behind the
hurry-up call you sent in? Anything broken yet?"
"Something big! But sit down. There's a lot to tell. And I must tell
it quick--before my"--she could not force herself to say "father"--
"before Old Jimmie comes, and Dick."
"Then Dick's coming?"
"Yes. Things have taken a twist so that everything breaks to-night.
But sit down, and I'll tell you everything."
She had noted that the door behind which Larry stood, and to which he
had captured the key, was open a bare half-inch. It looked no more
suspicious than any closet door that by accident had swung free of its
latch, but by deft maneuvering Maggie managed so that Barney sat at
the table with his back toward both closets.
"Go to it, Maggie," he urged.
The plan which had swiftly developed from Dick Sherwood's idea
required that she should tell much that was the truth and much that
was not truth, and required that she should play with every faculty
and every attraction she possessed upon Barney's tremendous vanity and
upon his jealous admiration of her.
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