In the time that followed, Mary lived in the flat which AggieLynch occupied along with her brother, Jim, a pickpocket muchesteemed among his fellow craftsmen. The period wroughttransformations of radical and bewildering sort in both theappearance and the character of the girl. Joe Garson, theforger, had long been acquainted with Aggie and her brother,though he considered them far beneath him in the social scale,since their criminal work was not of that high kind on which heprided himself. But, as he cast about for some woman to whom hemight take the hapless girl he had rescued, his thoughts fell onAggie, and forthwith his determination was made, since he knewthat she was respectable, viewed according to his own peculiarlights. He was relieved rather than otherwise to learn thatthere was already an acquaintance between the two women, and thefact that his charge had served time in prison did not influencehim one jot against her. On the contrary, it increased in somemeasure his respect for her as one of his own kind. By the timehe had learned as well of her innocence, he had grown sointerested that even her folly, as he was inclined to deem it,did not cause any wavering in his regard.

　　Now, at last, Mary Turner let herself drift. It seemed to herthat she had abandoned herself to fate in that hour when shethrew herself into the river. Afterward, without any volition onher part, she had been restored to life, and set within anenvironment new and strange to her, in which soon, to hersurprise, she discovered a vivid pleasure. So, she fought nomore, but left destiny to work its will unhampered by her futilestrivings. For the first time in her life, thanks to thehospitality of Aggie Lynch, secretly reinforced from the funds ofJoe Garson, Mary found herself living in luxurious idleness,while her every wish could be gratified by the merest mention ofit. She was fed on the daintiest of fare, for Aggie was asybarite in all sensuous pleasures that were apart from sex. Shewas clothed with the most delicate richness for the first time asto those more mysterious garments which women love, and she soonhad a variety of frocks as charming as her graceful formdemanded. In addition, there were as many of books and magazinesas she could wish. Her mind, long starved like her body, seizedavidly on the nourishment thus afforded. In this interest, Aggiehad no share--was perhaps a little envious over Mary's absorptionin printed pages. But for her consolation were the matters offood and dress, and of countless junketings. In such directions,Aggie was the leader, an eager, joyous one always. She took avast pride in her guest, with the unmistakable air of elegance,and she dared to dream of great triumphs to come, though as yetshe carefully avoided any suggestion to Mary of wrong-doing.

　　In the end, the suggestion came from Mary Turner herself, to thegreat surprise of Aggie, and, truth to tell, of herself.

　　There were two factors that chiefly influenced her decision. Thefirst was due to the feeling that, since the world had rejectedher, she need no longer concern herself with the world's opinion,or retain any scruples over it. Back of this lay her bittersentiment toward the man who had been the direct cause of herimprisonment, Edward Gilder. It seemed to her that the generalwarfare against the world might well be made an initial step inthe warfare she meant to wage, somehow, some time, against thatman personally, in accordance with the hysterical threat she haduttered to his face.

　　The factor that was the immediate cause of her decision on anirregular mode of life was an editorial in one of the dailynewspapers. This was a scathing arraignment of a master in highfinance. The point of the writer's attack was the grim sarcasmfor such methods of thievery as are kept within the law. Thatphrase held the girl's fancy, and she read the article again witha quickened interest. Then, she began to meditate. She herselfwas in a curious, indeterminate attitude as far as concerned thelaw. It was the law that had worked the ruin of her life, whichshe had striven to make wholesome. In consequence, she felt forthe law no genuine respect, only detestation as for the epitomeof injustice. Yet, she gave it a superficial respect, born ofthose three years of suffering which had been the result of thepenalty inflicted on her. It was as an effect of this latterfeeling that she was determined on one thing of vital importance:

　　that never would she be guilty of anything to pit her against thelaw's decrees. She had known too many hours of anguish in thedoom set on her life because she had been deemed a violator ofthe law. No, never would she let herself take any position inwhich the law could accuse her.... But there remained the factthat the actual cause of her long misery was this same law,manipulated by the man she hated. It had punished her, thoughshe had been without fault. For that reason, she must alwaysregard it as her enemy, must, indeed, hate it with an intensitybeyond words--with an intensity equal to that she bore the man,Gilder. Now, in the paragraph she had just read she found a clueto suggestive thought, a hint as to a means by which she mightsatisfy her rancor against the law that had outraged her--andthis in safety since she would attempt nought save that withinthe law.

　　Mary's heart leaped at the possibility back of those three words,"within the law." She might do anything, seek any revenge, workany evil, enjoy any mastery, as long as she should keep withinthe law. There could be no punishment then. That was the lessontaught by the captain in high finance. He was at pains always inhis stupendous robberies to keep within the law. To that end, heemployed lawyers of mighty cunning and learning to guide hissteps aright in such tortuous paths.

　　There, then, was the secret. Why should she not use the likemeans? Why, indeed? She had brains enough to devise, surely.

　　Beyond that, she needed only to keep her course most carefullywithin those limits of wrong-doing permitted by the statutes.

　　For that, the sole requirement would be a lawyer equallyunscrupulous and astute. At once, Mary's mind was made up.

　　After all, the thing was absurdly simple. It was merely a matterfor ingenuity and for prudence in alliance.... Moreover, therewould come eventually some adequate device against herarch-enemy, Edward Gilder.

　　Mary meditated on the idea for many days, and ever it seemedincreasingly good to her. Finally, it developed to a point whereshe believed it altogether feasible, and then she took Joe Garsoninto her confidence. He was vastly astonished at the outset andnot quite pleased. To his view, this plan offered merely afashion of setting difficulties in the way of achievement.

　　Presently, however, the sincerity and persistence of the girl wonhim over. The task of convincing him would have been easier hadhe himself ever known the torment of serving a term in prison.

　　Thus far, however, the forger had always escaped the penalty forhis crimes, though often close to conviction. But Mary'sarguments were of a compelling sort as she set them forth indetail, and they made their appeal to Garson, who was by no meanslacking in a shrewd native intelligence. He agreed that theexperiment should be made, notwithstanding the fact that he feltno particular enthusiasm over the proposed scheme of working. Itis likely that his own strong feeling of attraction toward thegirl whom he had saved from death, who now appeared before him asa radiantly beautiful young woman, was more persuasive than theexcellent ideas which she presented so emphatically, and with alogic so impressive.

　　An agreement was made by which Joe Garson and certain of his moretrusted intimates in the underworld were to put themselves underthe orders of Mary concerning the sphere of their activities.

　　Furthermore, they bound themselves not to engage in any deviousbusiness without her consent. Aggie, too, was one of the companythus constituted, but she figured little in the preliminarydiscussions, since neither Mary nor the forger had much respectfor the intellectual capabilities of the adventuress, though theyappreciated to the full her remarkable powers of influencing mento her will.

　　It was not difficult to find a lawyer suited to the necessitiesof the undertaking. Mary bore in mind constantly the highfinancier's reliance on the legal adviser competent to invent amethod whereby to baffle the law at any desired point, and afterjudicious investigation she selected an ambitious and experiencedJew named Sigismund Harris, just in the prime of his mentalvigors, who possessed a knowledge of the law only to be equalledby his disrespect for it. He seemed, indeed, precisely the manto fit the situation for one desirous of outraging the lawremorselessly, while still retaining a place absolutely withinit.

　　Forthwith, the scheme was set in operation. As a first step,Mary Turner became a young lady of independent fortune, who hadliving with her a cousin, Miss Agnes Lynch. The flat wasabandoned. In its stead was an apartment in the nineties onRiverside Drive, in which the ladies lived alone with two maidsto serve them. Garson had rooms in the neighborhood, but JimLynch, who persistently refused the conditions of such analliance, betook himself afar, to continue his reckless gatheringof other folk's money in such wise as to make him amenable to thelaw the very first time he should be caught at it.

　　A few tentative ventures resulted in profits so large that thecompany grew mightily enthusiastic over the novel manner ofworking. In each instance, Harris was consulted, and made hisconfidential statement as to the legality of the thing proposed.

　　Mary gratified her eager mind by careful studies in this chosenline of nefariousness. After a few perfectly legalbreach-of-promise suits, due to Aggie's winsome innocence ofdemeanor, had been settled advantageously out of court, Marydevised a scheme of greater elaborateness, with the legal acumenof the lawyer to endorse it in the matter of safety.

　　This netted thirty thousand dollars. It was planned as theswindling of a swindler--which, in fact, had now become thesecret principle in Mary's morality.

　　A gentleman possessed of some means, none too scrupulous himself,but with high financial aspirations, advertised for a partner toinvest capital in a business sure to bring large returns. Thisadvertisement caught the eye of Mary Turner, and she answered it.

　　An introductory correspondence encouraged her to hope for thevictory in a game of cunning against cunning. She consulted withthe perspicacious Mr. Harris, and especially sought from himdetailed information as to partnership law. His statements gaveher such confidence that presently she entered into a partnershipwith the advertiser. By the terms of their agreement, eachdeposited thirty thousand dollars to the partnership account.

　　This sum of sixty thousand dollars was ostensibly to be devotedto the purchase of a tract of land, which should afterward bedivided into lots, and resold to the public at enormous profit.

　　As a matter of fact, the advertiser planned to make a spuriouspurchase of the tract in question, by means of forged deedsgranted by an accomplice, thus making through fraud a neat profitof thirty thousand dollars. The issue was, however,disappointing to him in the extreme. No sooner was the sixtythousand dollars on deposit in the bank than Mary Turner drew outthe whole amount, as she had a perfect right to do legally. Whenthe advertiser learned of this, he was, naturally enough, full tooverflowing with wrath. But after an interview with Harris heswallowed this wrath as best he might. He found that hisadversary knew a dangerous deal as to his various swindlingoperations. In short, he could not go into court with cleanhands, which is a prime stipulation of the law--though oftenhonored in the breach. But the advertiser's hands were tooperilously filthy, so he let himself be mulcted in ragingsilence.

　　The event established Mary as the arbiter in her own coterie.

　　Here was, in truth, a new game, a game most entertaining, andmost profitable, and not in the least risky. Immediately afterthe adventure with the advertiser, Mary decided that a certainGeneral Hastings would make an excellent sacrifice on the altarof justice--and to her own financial profit. The old man was anotorious roue, of most unsavory reputation as a destroyer ofinnocence. It was probable that he would easily fall a victim tothe ingenuous charms of Aggie. As for that precocious damsel, shewould run no least risk of destruction by the satyr. So,presently, there were elaborate plottings. General Hastings metAggie in the most casual way. He was captivated by her freshnessand beauty, her demureness, her ignorance of all things vicious.

　　Straightway, he set his snares, being himself already limed. Heshowered every gallant attention on the naive bread-and-buttermiss, and succeeded gratifyingly soon in winning her heart--toall appearance. But he gained nothing more, for the coy creatureabruptly developed most effective powers of resistance to everyblandishment that went beyond strictest propriety. His ardorcooled suddenly when Harris filed the papers in a suit for tenthousand dollars damages for breach of promise.

　　Even while this affair was still in the course of execution, Maryfound herself engaged in a direction that offered at least thehope of attaining her great desire, revenge against EdwardGilder. This opportunity came in the person of his son, Dick.

　　After much contriving, she secured an introduction to that youngman. Forthwith, she showed herself so deliciously womanly, sointelligent, so daintily feminine, so singularly beautiful, thatthe young man was enamored almost at once. The fact thrilledMary to the depths of her heart, for in this son of the man whomshe hated she saw the instrument of vengeance for which she hadso longed. Yet, this one thing was so vital to her that she saidnothing of her purposes, not even to Aggie, though that observantperson may have possessed suspicions more or less near the truth.

　　It was some such suspicion that lay behind her speech as, innegligee, she sat cross-legged on the bed, smoking a cigarette ina very knowing way, while watching Mary, who was adjusting herhat before the mirror of her dressing-table, one pleasant springmorning.

　　"Dollin' up a whole lot, ain't you?" Aggie remarked, affably,with that laxity of language which characterized her naturalmoods.

　　"I have a very important engagement with Dick Gilder," Maryreplied, tranquilly. She vouchsafed nothing more definite as toher intentions.

　　"Nice boy, ain't he?" Aggie ventured, insinuatingly.

　　"Oh, I suppose so," came the indifferent answer from Mary, as shetilted the picture hat to an angle a trifle more jaunty.

　　The pseudo cousin sniffed.

　　"You s'pose that, do you? Well, anyhow, he's here so much weought to be chargin' him for his meal-ticket. And yet I ain'tsure that you even know whether he's the real goods, or not."The fair face of Mary Turner hardened the least bit. There shonean expression of inscrutable disdain in the violet eyes, as sheturned to regard Aggie with a level glance.

　　"I know that he's the son--the only son!--of Edward Gilder. Thefact is enough for me."The adventuress of the demure face shook her head in token ofcomplete bafflement. Her rosy lips pouted in petulantdissatisfaction.

　　"I don't get you, Mary," she admitted, querulously. "You neverused to look at the men. The way you acted when you first runround with me, I thought you sure was a suffragette. And thenyou met this young Gilder --and--good-night, nurse!"The hardness remained in Mary's face, as she continued to regardher friend. But, now, there was something quizzical in theglance with which she accompanied the monosyllable:

　　"Well?"Again, Aggie shook her head in perplexity.

　　"His old man sends you up for a stretch for something you didn'tdo--and you take up with his son like----""And yet you don't understand!" There was scorn for such grossstupidity in the musical voice.

　　Aggie choked a little from the cigarette smoke, as she gave agasp when suspicion of the truth suddenly dawned on her slowintelligence.

　　"My Gawd!" Her voice came in a treble shriek of apprehension.

　　"I'm wise!""But you must understand this," Mary went on, with anauthoritative note in her voice. "Whatever may be between youngGilder and me is to be strictly my own affair. It has absolutelynothing to do with the rest of you, or with our schemes formoney-making. And, what is more, Agnes, I don't want to talkabout it. But----""Yes?" queried Aggie, encouragingly, as the other paused. Shehopefully awaited further confidences.

　　"But I do want to know," Mary continued with some severity, "whatyou meant by talking in the public street yesterday with a commonpickpocket."Aggie's childlike face changed swiftly its expression from a slyeagerness to sullenness.

　　"You know perfectly well, Mary Turner," she cried indignantly,"that I only said a few words in passin' to my brother Jim. Andhe ain't no common pickpocket. Hully Gee! He's the best dip inthe business.""But you must not be seen speaking with him," Mary directed, witha certain air of command now become habitual to her among themembers of her clique. "My cousin, Miss Agnes Lynch, must bevery careful as to her associates."The volatile Agnes was restored to good humor by some subtlequality in the utterance, and a family pride asserted itself.

　　"He just stopped me to say it's been the best year he ever had,"she explained, with ostentatious vanity.

　　Mary appeared sceptical.

　　"How can that be," she demanded, "when the dead line now is JohnStreet?""The dead line!" Aggie scoffed. A peal of laughter rang merrilyfrom her curving lips.

　　"Why, Jim takes lunch every day in the Wall Street Delmonico's.

　　Yes," she went on with increasing animation, "and only yesterdayhe went down to Police Headquarters, just for a littleexcitement, 'cause Jim does sure hate a dull life. Say, he toldme they've got a mat at the door with 'Welcome' on it--in lettersthree feet high. Now, what--do--you--think--of that!" Aggieteetered joyously, the while she inhaled a shockingly largemouthful of smoke. "And, oh, yes!" she continued happily, "Jim,he lifted a leather from a bull who was standing in the hallwaythere at Headquarters! Jim sure does love excitement."Mary lifted her dark eyebrows in half-amused inquiry.

　　"It's no use, Agnes," she declared, though without entiresincerity; "I can't quite keep up with your thieves' argot--yourslang, you know. Just what did this brother of yours do?""Why, he copped the copper's kale," Aggie translated, glibly.

　　Mary threw out her hands in a gesture of dismay.

　　Thereupon, the adventuress instantly assumed a most ladylike andmincing air which ill assorted with the cigarette that she heldbetween her lips.

　　"He gently removed a leathern wallet," she said sedately,"containing a large sum of money from the coat pocket of a memberof the detective force." The elegance of utterance wasinimitably done. But in the next instant, the ordinary vulgarityof enunciation was in full play again. "Oh, Gee!" she criedgaily. "He says Inspector Burke's got a gold watch that weighs aton, an' all set with diamon's!--which was give to 'imby--admirin' friends!... We didn't contribute.""Given to him," Mary corrected, with a tolerant smile.

　　Aggie sniffed once again.

　　"What difference does it make?" she demanded, scornfully. "He'sgot it, ain't he?" And then she added with avaricious intensity:

　　"Just as soon as I get time, I'm goin' after that watch--believeme!"Mary shook her head in denial.

　　"No, you are not," she said, calmly. "You are under my ordersnow. And as long as you are working with us, you will break nolaws.""But I can't see----" Aggie began to argue with the petulance ofa spoiled child.

　　Mary's voice came with a certainty of conviction born of fact.

　　"When you were working alone," she said gravely, did you have ahome like this?""No," was the answer, spoken a little rebelliously.

　　"Or such clothes? Most of all, did you have safety from thepolice?""No," Aggie admitted, somewhat more responsively. "But, just thesame, I can't see----"Mary began putting on her gloves, and at the same time strove togive this remarkable young woman some insight into her own pointof view, though she knew the task to be one well-nigh impossible.

　　"Agnes," she said, didactically, "the richest men in this countryhave made their fortunes, not because of the law, but in spite ofthe law. They made up their minds what they wanted to do, andthen they engaged lawyers clever enough to show them how theycould do it, and still keep within the law. Any one with brainscan get rich in this country if he will engage the right lawyer.

　　Well, I have the brains--and Harris is showing me the law--thewonderful twisted law that was made for the rich! Since we keepinside the law, we are safe."Aggie, without much apprehension of the exact situation, wasmoved to a dimpled mirth over the essential humor of the methodindicated.

　　"Gee, that's funny," she cried happily. "You an' me an' JoeGarson handin' it to 'em, an' the bulls can't touch us! Nextthing you know, Harris will be havin' us incorporated as theAmerican Legal Crime Society.""I shouldn't be in the least surprised," Mary assented, as shefinished buttoning her gloves. She smiled, but there was a hintof grimness in the bending of her lips. That grimness remained,as she glanced at the clock, then went toward the door of theroom, speaking over her shoulder.

　　"And, now I must be off to a most important engagement with Mr.

　　Dick Gilder."