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 Again ne sHan~o>. .-~. features in quick doubt. Then. evf dently making up his mind, he wen, on:
 You heard the story I was telling those men over there? The story about Standish and the Woman?"
 IT happened to catch part of it. .
 You happened to catch every word of it," he corrected And now, why do you suppose I told such an all-im. portant secret loud enough for a tele. phone girl to hear it7"
 That's just what I've been wonder ing" she said frankly. But l can't figure it out.''
 Then I'll tell you" retorted Blake. Inodding approval at her unembarrass. ed candor. Whats the one thing we need to turn that story from a windy piece of campaign gossip into the dead Hest weapon ever forged in Washing ton?"
 The Woman's name," replied Wan da. at once.
 "Goodl" applauded Blake. You've got a real brain under that metal re. ceiver you wear. You seem to have this situation worked out as clear as l have. Maybe. now. you can guess what that Woman's name Is worth to us. How about it?"
 Wanda rolled her big eyes ceil- ingward after the manner of a stupid child who seeks in space the answer to a teachers question.
 "Maybe-maybe a-a 71illicn dol, lars" she hazarded timidly, at length
 Blake grinned appreciation of the bit of acting. and was not in the very least deceived by it-as Wanda had perfectly well known he would not be-
 Nothing stingy about your ideas young ladyi" he commented. Maybe I'd better put them straight. Do you want make hundred dollars 2"
 "A hundred dollars?" she echoed in a wide-eyed wonder of innocence that Saint Cecelia at her best could not possibly have equaled. "A whole hun. dred dollars? Why, how could poor telephone operator like me make so much money?"
 Here's the idea" replied Blake. wearying of matching a cudgel against a hatpin. and coming straight to the pith of the matter. I've sent for Standish to come here because I want to have a talk with him. When I'm through. I'll go away. And the chances are that he'll go straight to the tele- phone and call up some one. It's that some ones number l want"
 "Oh!" exclaimed Wanda, smiling brightly at her own comprehension And that's worth hundred dollars?"
 Yes And if you can hear what he says on the phone III make it two hundred"
 For an instant the innocent wonder ing smile again illumined Wanda's up- turned face Then, like Blake. she evidently wearied of futile word-fenc- ing, for she said. ineisively;
 T see I've got the idea. You'll spring this story of the Woman on him You1l make him think you've almost got her in your net You'll try to scare him into hustling to the near est telephone and warning her He'll know you're haYlng him watched. e. he won't dare to go to her in er~- with his warninr
 He's got too much sense for that. And a telegram would be too risky. So nothing's left but the phone. He'll call her up. You'll get the number. And then it'II he a cinch for your men to find the Woman's name in no time, and all about her. The full story names and all-can be circulated on the floor as soon as the house sits, to- night And good-by then to MT. Standish."
 "Say!" drawled Blake in genuine ad- miration. You've sure got brain. We'll have to get you in the secret service. Or, if you want job in my office at double what you're getting here-but we can talk about all that afterward. Will-?"
 You're sure the number will give you the clue to the Woman?"
 Absolutely"
 And don't you think one little hun dred dollars is a pretty cheap price to pay for information that will bring you millions?"
 Sheer innocence had reached it's towering acme-the summit whereon