The servant brought out a
note. It was another surprise. He gave an address to the driver
and as the car turned up Fifth Avenue, he studied this missive
with knit brows.
"A new worry?" asked Helene. "May I help you?"
He handed her the letter, and she noticed the nervous
handwriting. It was short.
"Dear Mr. Shirley: Just received a threatening note demanding
money. Can you come up at once? Howard V. C."
Shirley answered the question in the blue eyes, as she finished.
"As I thought it would turn out. Baffled in their game of
robbing old men who have all left the city, they have begun to
work the chance for blackmail. I will advise Van Cleft to pay
them, and then we will follow the money. Here is the mansion and
I will be out in five minutes."
He soon disappeared behind the bronze door. True to his promise,
in five minutes he had returned. He looked up and down the
Avenue amazed. Not a trace of the taxicab, nor of Helene
Marigold could be seen!
Shirley's impulse was to pinch himself to awaken from the
chimera.
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