She paused every now and then to look in the shop windows, and make a few purchases.  Then, just as she was leaving a store, and hesitating for a moment which way to continue her walk, a man stopped suddenly before her and raised his hat.  It was Stephen Weiss, gaunt, ill-dressed, easily recognizable.  He was evidently glad to see her.

“This is real good fortune, Miss Longworth,” he said, holding her hand in his, as though afraid that she might slip away.  “I have just left your house, but I couldn’t seem to get hold of anything very definite about this sudden attack of your uncle’s.”

“I know very little about it myself,” Virginia answered.  “The doctor had only just been when I came away.  He said, I believe, that it was only a matter of a complete rest for several days, perhaps a week, and then possibly a short holiday.”

Mr. Weiss shook his head thoughtfully.

“I am much relieved to hear that,” he declared.  “Your uncle is one of my oldest friends, and, apart from that, we are concerned in one or two very important speculations just now, things which you, young lady, would scarcely understand; but it would be awkward if he were laid up.”

“The doctor thinks,” Virginia remarked, “that he will be able to attend to anything very necessary in four or five days.  They will not allow him, however, even to look at a newspaper until then.”

Mr. Weiss nodded thoughtfully.

“You were going back toward the house, I see,” he remarked.  “Permit me to walk with you a little way.”

Virginia hesitated for a moment.

“I have a little more shopping to do,” she said.  “I was not going home just yet.”

Mr. Weiss, however, was already leading her across the street.

“My dear young lady,” he said, “I have something very important to say to you.  I am sure you will not mind going back to the house with me now and continuing your walk afterwards.  It is in your uncle’s interests as much as my own.”

She allowed herself to be led along, and when they had reached the other side of the Avenue, Stephen Weiss, speaking earnestly, and stooping a little towards her, commenced his explanation.

“Your uncle,” he said, “and three or four of us whom you met last night, are engaged just now in a very important undertaking.  I cannot explain it to you, but it involves a great many millions of dollars, more than we could any of us afford to lose, although, as you know, we are none of us poor men.  Now we can carry this thing right through without bothering your uncle, and make a success of it, but there is just one thing we must have, and that is a paper which he has locked away in his study, and which is a sort of key to the situation.  I spoke to your uncle about it last night over the telephone, and he agreed to have it ready for me when I called this morning.  I could not find any one at the house, however, who had received instructions about it, so I concluded that he had perhaps left word with you.”