For some reason that Tavia could not then fathom, she trembled, and quickly jumped up, saying to Dorothy:

"Let's get off here! I'd rather walk the rest of the way; wouldn't you?"

As Dorothy had been about to suggest that very thing, she looked in surprise from the man to Tavia and saw him raise his hat.

"This is a very fortunate meeting," said Mr. Akerson to Tavia, "I couldn't have asked for anything more timely. Mrs. White, your aunt, expects to be at my office in twenty minutes and she expressed a desire, over the telephone, to have you girls meet her there. How strangely things happen! I am so fortunate as to be able to deliver the message, and you will get there almost as soon as she will." He spoke easily, and with a slight smile about his lips.

"My aunt?" repeated Tavia, mystified, "I haven't an aunt!"

"Isn't Mrs. White your aunt," he asked.

"Mrs. White is my aunt," interrupted Dorothy. "Who are you please?"

"Mr. Akerson, Mrs. White's real estate manager. Have I the pleasure of addressing her niece?"

Dorothy a.s.sented with a quick nod of her head. "But we were not informed of her visit to your office," she said quickly.

"Do just as you like," said Mr. Akerson, coolly, "I get off here. I only thought it lucky to have had the pleasure of carrying out Mrs. White's wishes. Don't misunderstand me," he added, "I did not start out to hunt through the New York shops for you, it was merely a happy coincidence that we met. Mrs. White 'phoned me after you left and merely mentioned that as she was coming down town she wished she could meet you. Well, I've an engagement on this block for five minutes, and then I return to meet Mrs. White in my office."

He left the 'bus and the girls just stared!

"How did that man know us?" cried Dorothy, too astounded to think of any answer to her own question.

"I know how he knew me," said Tavia, grimly. "But how did he know I knew?

Oh, dear me, it's all knows and knews; what am I trying to say?"

"Can people in New York sense relationship as folk pa.s.s by on top of 'buses?" questioned Dorothy, of the dazzling sunlight.

"Why," queried Tavia, "should Aunt Winnie tell him that she wanted us to meet her at his office?"

"Or how," demanded Dorothy, "did he happen to be in just this section of the city and jump on our very 'bus?"

"But Mrs. White may even now be waiting for us, anxiously hoping for our arrival," exclaimed Tavia; "though of course she couldn't guess he would meet us. It must be a strange chance, as he says."

"Of course we start down town immediately," declared Dorothy, "I know the address."

"Well Dorothy," said Tavia, mysteriously, "Mr. Akerson may be a shrewd business man, and be playing a skillful game, but I am not one whit afraid to go directly to his office, and see the whole thing through to the end!"

"It's exactly what I intend to do," said Dorothy, decidedly. "This, I rather feel, may be our unexpected opportunity to quickly squelch the well-laid plans of this man. But, Tavia, aren't you just a little bit dubious about going alone? Hadn't we better return home first?"

"No, we'll take the next car downtown, and we must work together to lay bare the real facts!" declared Tavia as they ran for a downtown Broadway car.

CHAPTER XXI FRIGHT AND COURAGE

With unhesitating steps, Tavia led Dorothy, without any of the confusion of her own first visit, directly to Mr. Akerson's offices.

The same switchboard operator sat sleepy-eyed at the telephone, and the same young person conducted the girls through the office suite, the only difference was that the hour was near twelve, and most of the desks were empty, as the clerks had left the building for lunch.

The offices seemed strangely quiet, as the girls sat, with their hearts beating wildly, waiting for the door marked "_Private_" to open. When it did, Mr. Akerson came forth with a genial smile.

"I arrived a little ahead of you," said he, and he led the girls into his private office.

"But where is Mrs. White?" demanded Dorothy.

"Evidently delayed in reaching here," answered Mr. Akerson, pulling his watch from his pocket. "No doubt she'll be here directly."

With this the girls had to be content. Dorothy watched the door, expecting to see Aunt Winnie enter at every sound.

"Well," said the man, balancing himself on his heels, "and what is the decision in regard to the apartment you wanted?"

Tavia shot a meaning glance in Dorothy's direction and Dorothy quickly suppressed a start of surprise at the man's words. She decided instantly that she must watch Tavia's every glance, if she were to follow the hidden meaning.

"Haven't decided yet," carelessly answered Tavia. "Besides, there's plenty of time."

"Are you sure it was an apartment you wanted, or"-the man wheeled about his desk chair and arranged himself comfortably before continuing-"was it just a woman's curiosity?" He smiled broadly at the girls; his look was that of a very kindly disposed gentleman.

"My reasons were just as I stated-I may want an apartment-I liked the arrangement of the Court Apartments, and was seeking information for my own future use," defiantly replied Tavia.

"Of course, of course," Mr. Akerson replied. "But why come to me?

Couldn't-er-your friend here have secured the information from-well say, from Mrs. White?"

"Mrs. White, I regret to say, Mr. Akerson," responded Dorothy, "seems to be ill-informed about her own property."

"Mrs. White has access to my books," he replied coldly, "whenever she chooses to look them over. Everything is there in black and white."

"Except your verbal statements to me," said Tavia, standing up and facing Mr. Akerson. "Your statement that rents used to be thirty-five dollars, and are now one hundred dollars."

Dorothy guessed instantly whither Tavia was leading.

"And the difference between the thirty-five dollars and the one hundred dollars," she asked, "goes to whom? Some charitable inst.i.tution perhaps?"

"Ha! Ha!" laughed Mr. Akerson, "that's rich! So you," he turned to Tavia, "took all my nonsense so seriously that you're convinced I'm a scoundrel." His teeth gleamed wickedly through his stubby mustache, and Dorothy wished that Aunt Winnie would hurry. She did not like this man.

"By your own statements you've convicted yourself," declared Tavia. "The morning I interviewed you, you did not know me, and told me your prices."

"You're wrong; I did know you," declared the man bluntly. "I knew you to be a friend of Mrs. Bergham's, that you had listened to a rambling tale of that feeble-minded woman, and came to me expecting to have it confirmed-and, as you know, I fully confirmed it. By the way, Mrs.

Bergham moves to-day, but I suppose you are thoroughly conversant with her affairs."

Like a shot the thought came to Dorothy and Tavia, as they exchanged glances, could Mrs. Bergham, who certainly did not seem dependable, misrepresent matters to gain sympathy for herself? But as quickly came the picture of patient Miss Mingle, and all doubt vanished at once.

"That's true," confessed Tavia, "the first inkling of absolute wrong-doing came quite unexpectedly through Mrs. Bergham. I'm sorry, though, that she has been ordered to move on account of it."

"Mrs. Bergham will not move," said Dorothy, quietly. "We have sufficient evidence, I should say, Mr. Akerson, to convince even you that your wrong-doings have at last been found out."