Again Oscar laughed and the glitter in Cad's eyes became even more brilliant as Oscar said:

"Cad, had you overheard her story you would not think me quite as big a fool as it appears you do."

"Tell me the story," said Cad in sharp, quick tones.

Oscar did repeat word for word all that had pa.s.sed between him and the woman and then added:

"You see, Cad, how for once you have reached a too hasty conclusion.

That woman was really doing us a great service. I'll bet my life on her sincerity."

"You will?"

"I will."

"It's lucky I am here to save you from being trapped. Oscar, I am ashamed of you, but a blond beauty can fool any man, that is plain, and that woman has fooled you."

"Nonsense, Cad."

"I see through the whole scheme."

"You do?"

"I do."

"All right, sister; I will never pooh-pooh anything you say, but this time you are at fault."

"I am, eh?"

"Yes, you are."

"Are you sure?"

"I am sure."

"Oscar, I've a revelation for you."

Oscar's face a.s.sumed a serious expression, and Cad continued:

"My dear brother, I was on that woman's track when she accosted you. I am on to their whole scheme, for I have been at work."

Oscar stared and then said slowly:

"I am to meet her to-night."

"Certainly, you will meet her, but when you do will you know her game?

She is the beautiful siren who is to lure Ulysses into the den where he is to be slain with merciless precision and cold-blooded exactness."

Again Oscar stared, but seeing the glitter in Cad's eyes he fell to a conclusion and asked:

"Is my beautiful partner jealous?"

"Yes, I am jealous for your life. I do not wish to see you beguiled and imperiled by that woman."

"Cad, you speak like one who knows what she is talking about."

"I do."

"Have you information?"

"I have."

"Forgive me."

"No, there is no need to ask forgiveness, but let me tell you something: this little game they are playing is one of the shrewdest tricks ever attempted. I would have been deceived; you are deceived, for a more reasonable and probable tale has never been told; and yet, Oscar, that woman is the right bower of the criminals. Her fertile brain conceived the whole plan to entrap you. It is the play of these men to remove every one inimical to their success, and they, having marked your ident.i.ty, have conceived a scheme to drop you out. They know you are dangerous. I know you are brave, strong, and valiant, but they have arranged a plan against which courage and cunning count as naught."

"You are sure, Cad?"

"I am sure."

"What are you on to?"

"I am jealous for your safety, and after those men had your ident.i.ty I determined to get on the track of the man Girard. He is a wonderful man in his way. I followed him; I saw him dispatch a messenger boy. I kept upon his trail."

"Under what disguise were you?"

Cad laughed.

"Great ginger! Cad, can it be possible?"

Again Cad laughed and said:

"Yes, I was at hand."

"You were the messenger boy?"

"I was."

"Girl, don't call Girard a wonder. You are the wonder of the age; but go on."

"I carried his message, and the sweet-faced girl who has been giving you the beautiful tale concerning her enchanted brother is the party to whom I carried the message. They met, and under a changed disguise I overheard a part of their scheme. I saw her when she accosted you, and I knew that from you I would learn enough to connect the whole plan; I have."

"And what is their plan?"

"That girl's purpose is to win your absolute confidence. She has a party who will represent her brother, and by degrees and methods of her own, aided by her confederates, they will run down our side of it, and then at the last moment every one of us will be separately lured and done up.

And they will make their plans so there will be no help for us, or rather there would be no help for us did they catch us unawares. But that they will never do; we will catch them in their own netting."

"Oh, Cad, how much I owe to you! and now what shall I do?"