Harriet nodded toward her dressing-table, while Ruth and Bab stood looking at each other, speechless with horror, the same idea growing in their minds.

“When Father comes to look for his stupid papers he’ll find them gone, and, of course, will think he has misplaced them,” Harriet continued.  “He will be dreadfully worried for a little while; then Mrs. Wilson will return the papers to me and I will slip them back in their old place, and Father will never know what has happened.  Mrs. Wilson and Peter have vowed they will never betray me, and I have promised not to betray them.  If I were to be caught, I suppose Father would never forgive me.  But I’ll take good care that he doesn’t find out about it.”

“Harriet, do please give up this foolish plan!” Ruth entreated earnestly.  “I know you are doing something wrong.  Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Dillon both know that Uncle William’s papers are too valuable to be played with.  Why, they belong to the United States Government, not to him!  Harriet, I implore you, do not touch your father’s papers!”

Harriet shook her head obstinately.  She was absolutely adamant.  Ruth pleaded, scolded, in vain.  Bab did not say a word nor enter a protest.  She was too frightened.  All of a sudden a veil had been rent asunder.  Now she believed she understood what Peter Dillon and Mrs. Wilson had planned from the beginning.  They were spies in the service of some higher power.  The papers that Harriet thought were to be used for a joke on her father were really to be sold!  Was not some state secret to be betrayed?  Ever since Bab’s arrival in Washington it had looked as though Peter Dillon and Mrs. Wilson had been working toward this very end.  Having failed with her they had turned their attention to poor Harriet.  But Mrs. Wilson and Peter Dillon must be only hired tools!  Shrewdly Barbara Thurston recalled her recent conversation with innocent Wee Tu:  “Mr. Dillon and my father, they have Chinese secrets together.”  Could a certain distinguished and wisely silent Oriental gentleman be responsible for the thrilling drama about to be enacted?  Bab was never to know positively, and she wisely kept her suspicion to herself.

“I do wish, Ruth, you and Bab would go away and leave me alone,” Harriet protested.  “I shall be well enough to get up for luncheon, if you will let me take a nap.  I don’t see any harm in playing this joke on Father.  At any rate, I have quite made up my mind to go through with my part in it and I won’t give up my plan.  You can tell Father if you choose, of course.  I cannot prevent that.  I know I was foolish to have confided in you.  But, unless you are despicable tale bearers, the papers in my bureau drawer will go out of this house in a few hours!  I don’t see any harm in their disappearing for a little while.  Father will have them back in a few days.  Please go!”