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ve him waiting outside here in a car。 Then all you will have to do is to go to Ogden； play a short scene as Chicago Ed； escort him to the car； and then go back to bed and have a good sleep。 Once Ogden thinks you are a professional kidnapper； you won't have any difficulty at all。 Get it into your head that he wants to be kidnapped。 Surely you can tackle this light and attractive job？ Why； it will be a treat for you to do a bit of character acting once more！〃
Jimmy had struck the right note。 His father's eyes began to gleam with excitement。 The scent of the footlights seemed to dilate his nostrils。
〃I was always good at that rough…neck stuff；〃 he murmured meditatively。 〃I used to eat it！〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Jimmy。 〃Look at it in the right way； and I am doing you a kindness in giving you this chance。〃
Mr。 Crocker rubbed his cheek with his forefinger。
〃You'd want me to make up for the part？〃 he asked wistfully。
〃Of course！〃
〃You want me to do it to…night？〃
〃At about two in the morning； I thought。〃
〃I'll do it； Jim！〃
Jimmy grasped his hand。
〃I knew I could rely on you； dad。〃
Mr。 Crocker was following a train of thought。
〃Dark wig 。 。 。 blue chin 。 。 。 heavy eyebrows 。 。 。 I guess I can't do better than my old Chicago Ed make…up。 Say； Jimmy； how am I to get to the kid？〃
〃That'll be all right。 You can stay in my room till the time es to go to him。 Use it as a dressing…room。〃
〃How am I to get him out of the house？〃
〃Through this room。 I'll tell Jerry to wait out on the side…street with the car from two o'clock on。〃
Mr。 Crocker considered these arrangements。
〃That seems to be about all；〃 he said。
〃I don't think there's anything else。〃
〃I'll slip downtown and buy the props。〃
〃I'll go and tell Jerry。〃
A thought struck Mr。 Crocker。
〃You'd better tell Jerry to make up； too。 He doesn't want the kid recognising him and squealing on him later。〃
Jimmy was lost in admiration of his father's resource。
〃You think of everything； dad！ That wouldn't have occurred to me。 You certainly do take to Crime in the most wonderful way。 It seems to e naturally to you！〃 Mr。 Crocker smirked modestly。
CHAPTER XX
CELESTINE IMPARTS INFORMATION
PLOT is only as strong as its weakest link。 The best…laid schemes of mice and men gang agley if one of the mice is a mental defective or if one of the men is a Jerry Mitchell。 。 。 。
Celestine； Mrs。 Pett's maidshe who was really Maggie O'Toole and whom Jerry loved with a strength which deprived him of even that small amount of intelligence which had been bestowed upon him by Naturecame into the house…keeper's room at about ten o'clock that night。 The domestic staff had gone in a body to the moving…pictures； and the only occupant of the room was the new parlourmaid； who was sitting in a hard chair； reading Schopenhauer。
Celestine's face was flushed； her dark hair was ruffled； and her eyes were shining。 She breathed a little quickly； and her left hand was out of sight behind her back。 She eyed the new parlour…maid doubtfully for a moment。 The latter was a woman of somewhat unencouraging exterior； not the kind that invites confidences。 But Celestine had confidences to bestow； and the exodus to the movies had left her in a position where she could not pick and choose。 She was faced with the alternative of locking her secret in her palpitating bosom or of revealing it to this one auditor。 The choice was one which no impulsive damsel in like circumstances would have hesitated to make。
〃Say！〃 said Celestine。
A face rose reluctantly from behind Schopenhauer。 A gleaming eye met Celestine's。 A second eye no less gleaming glared at the ceiling。
〃Say； I just been talking to my feller outside；〃 said Celestine with a coy simper。 〃Say； he's a grand man！〃
A snort of unpromising disapproval proceeded from the thin…lipped mouth beneath the eyes。 But Celestine was too full of her news to be discouraged。
〃I'm strong fer Jer！〃 she said。
〃Huh？〃 said the student of Schopenhauer。
〃Jerry Mitchell； you know。 You ain't never met him； have you？ Say； he's a grand man！〃
For the first time she had the other's undivided attention。 The new parlour…maid placed her book upon the table。
〃Uh？〃 she said。
Celestine could hold back her dramatic surprise no longer。 Her concealed left hand flashed into view。 On the third finger glittered a ring。 She gazed at it with awed affection。
〃Ain't it a beaut！〃
She contemplated its sparkling perfection for a moment in rapturous silence。
〃Say； you could have knocked me down with a feather！〃 she resumed。 〃He telephones me awhile ago and says to be outside the back door at ten to…night； because he'd something he wanted to tell me。 Of course he couldn't e in and tell it me here； because he'd been fired and everything。 So I goes out； and there he is。 'Hello； kid！' he says to me。 'Fresh！' I says to him。 'Say； I got something to be fresh about！' he says to me。 And then he reaches into his jeans and hauls out the sparkler。 'What's that？' I says to him。 'It's an engagement ring；' he says to me。 'For you； if you'll wear it！' I came over so weak； I could have fell！ And the next thing I know he's got it on my finger and〃 Celestine broke off modestly。 〃Say； ain't it a beaut； honest！〃 She gave herself over to contemplation once more。 〃He says to me how he's on Easy Street now； or will be pretty soon。 I says to him 'Have you got a job； then？' He says to me 'Now； I ain't got a job； but I'm going to pull off a stunt to…night that's going to mean enough to me to start that health…farm I've told you about。' Say； he's always had a line of talk about starting a health…farm down on Long Island； he knowing all about training and health and everything through having been one of them fighters。 I asks him what the stunt is； but he won't tell me yet。 He says he'll tell me after we're married； but he says it's sure…fire and he's going to buy the license tomorrow。〃
She paused for ment and congratulations； eyeing her panion expectantly。
〃Huh！〃 said the new parlour…maid briefly； and resumed her Schopenhauer。 Decidedly hers was not a winning personality。
〃Ain't it a beaut？〃 demanded Celestine； damped。
The new parlour…maid uttered a curious sound at the back of her throat。
〃He's a beaut！〃 she said cryptically。
She added another remark in a lower tone； too low for Celestine's ears。 It could hardly have been that； but it sounded to Celestine like：
〃I'll fix 'm！〃
CHAPTER XXI
CHICAGO ED
RIVERSIDE Drive slept。 The moon shone on darkened windows and deserted sidewalks。 It was past one o'clock in the morning。 The wicked Forties were still ablaze with light and noisy foxtrots； but in the virtuous Hundreds； where Mr。 Pett's house stood； respectable slumber reigned。 Only the occasional drone of a passing automobile broke the silence； or the love…sick cry of some feline Romeo patrolling a wall…top。
Jimmy was awake。 He was sitting on the edge of his bed watching his father put the finishing touches to his make…up； which was of a shaggy and intimidating nature。 The elder Crocker had conceived the outward aspect of Chicago Ed。； King of the Kidnappers； on broad and impressive lines； and one glance would have been enough to tell the sagacious observer that here was no white…souled rade for a nocturnal saunter down lonely lanes and out…of…the…way alleys。
Mr。 Crocker seemed to feel this himself。
〃The only trouble is； Jim；〃 he said； peering at himself in the glass； 〃shan't I scare the boy to death directly he sees me？ Oughtn't I to give him some sort of warning？〃
〃How？ Do you suggest sending him a formal note？〃
Mr。 Crocker surveyed his repellent features doubtfully。
〃It's a good deal to spring on a kid at one in the morning；〃 he said。 〃Suppose he has a fit！〃
〃He's far more likely to give you one。 Don't you worry about Ogden； dad。 I shouldn't think there was a child alive more equal to handling such a situation。〃
There was an empty glass standing on a tray on the dressing…table。 Mr。 Crocker eyed this sadly。
〃I wish you hadn't thrown that stuff away； Jim。 I could have done with it。 I'm feeling nervous。〃
〃Nonsense； dad！ You're all right！ I had to throw it away。 I'm on the wagon now； but how long I should have stayed on with that smiling up at me I don't know。 I've made up my mind never to lower myself to the level of the beasts that perish with the demon Rum again； because my future wife has strong views on the subject： but there's no sense in taking chances。 Temptation is all very well； but you don't need it on your dressing…table。 It was a kindly thought of yours to place it there； dad； but〃
〃Eh？ I didn't put it there。〃
〃I thought that sort of thing came in your department。 Isn't it the butler's job to supply drinks to the nobility and gentry？ Well； it doesn't matter。 It is now distributed over the neighbouring soil； thus removing a powerful temptation from your path。 You're better without it。〃 He looked at his watch。 〃Well； it ought to be all right now。〃 He went to the window。 〃There's an automobile down there。 I suppose it's Jerry。 I told him to be outside at one sharp and it's nearly half…past。 I think you might be starting； dad。 Oh； by the way； you had better tell Ogden that you represent a gentleman of the name of Buck Maginnis。 It was Buck who got away with him last time； and a firm friendship seems to…have sprung up between them。 There's nothing like ing with a good introduction。〃
Mr。 Crocker took a final survey of himself in the mirror。
〃Gee I I'd hate to meet myself on a lonely road！〃
He opened the door； and stood for a moment listening。
From somewhere down the passage came the murmur of a muffled snore。
〃Third door on the left；〃 said Jimmy。 〃Threecount 'em！three。 Don't go getting mixed。〃
Mr。 Crocker slid into the outer darkness like a stout ghost； and Jimmy closed the door gently behind him。
Having launched his indulgent parent safely on a career of crime； Jimmy switched off the light and returned to the window。 Leaning out； he gave himself up for a moment to sentimental musings。 The night was very still。 Through the trees which flanked the house the dimmed headlights of what was presumably Jerry Mitchell's hired car shone faintly like enlarged fire…flies。 A boat of some description was tooting reflectively far down the river。 Such was the seductive influence of the time and the scene that Jimmy might have remained there indefinitely； weaving dreams； had he not been under the necessity of making his way down to the library。 It was his task to close the French windows after his father and Ogden had passed through； and he proposed to remain hid in the gallery there until the time came for him to do this。 It was imperative that he avoid being seen by Ogden。
Locking his door behind him； he went downstairs。 There were no signs of life in the house。 Everything was still。 He found the staircase leading to the gallery without having to switch on the lights。
It was dusty in the gallery； and a smell of old leather enveloped him。 He hoped his father would not be long。 He lowered himself cautiously to the floor； and； resting his head against a convenient shelf； began to wonder how the interview between Chicago Ed and his prey was progressing。
Mr。 Crocker； meanwhile； masked to the eyes； had crept in fearful silence to the door which Jimmy had indicated。 A good deal of the gay enthusiasm with which he had embarked on this enterprise had ebbed away from him。 Now that he had bee accustomed to the novelty of finding himself once more playing a character part； his intimate respectability began to assert itself。 It was one thing to play Chicago Ed at a Broadway theatre； but quite another to give a benefit performance like this。 As he tip…toed along the passage； the one thing that presented itself most clearly to him was the appalling oute of this act of his； should anything go wrong。 He would have turned back； but for the thought that Jimmy was depending on him and that success would mean Jimmy's happiness。 Stimulated by this reflection； he opened Ogden's door inch by inch and went in。 He stole softly across the room。
He had almost reached the bed； and had just begun to wonder how on earth； now that he was there； he could open the proceedings tactfully and without alarming