ol　a　dangerous　event。　　There　was　even　the　possibility　that　some　instinct　of　tenderness　toward　Mary　herself　made　him　desire　that　this　opportunity　should　be　given　for　wiping　out　the　effects　of　misfortune　which　fate　hitherto　had　brought　into　her　life。
  〃You　win；〃　Garson　said；　with　a　half…laugh。　　He　turned　to　the　other　men　and　spoke　a　command。
  〃You　get　over　by　the　hall　door；　Red。　　And　keep　your　ears　open　every　second。　　Give　us　the　office　if　you　hear　anything。　　If　we're　rushed；　and　have　to　make　a　quick　get…away；　see　that　Mary　has　the　first　chance。　　Get　that；　all　of　you？〃
  As　Chicago　Red　took　up　his　appointed　station；　Garson　turned　to　Dick。
  〃Make　it　quick；　remember。〃
  He　touched　the　other　two　and　moved　back　to　the　wall　by　the　fireplace；　as　far　as　possible　from　the　husband　and　wife　by　the　couch。
  Dick　spoke　at　once；　with　a　hesitancy　that　betrayed　the　depth　of　his　emotion。
  〃Don't　you　care　for　me　at　all？〃　　he　asked　wistfully。
  The　girl's　answer　was　uttered　with　nervous　eagerness　which　revealed　her　own　stress　of　fear。
  〃No；　no；　no！〃　she　exclaimed；　rebelliously。
  Now；　however；　the　young　man　had　regained　some　measure　of　reassurance。
  〃I　know　you　do；　Mary；〃　he　asserted；　confidently；　〃a　little；　anyway。　　Why；　Mary；〃　he　went　on　reproachfully；　〃can't　you　see　that　you're　throwing　away　everything　that　makes　life　worth　while？　　Don't　you　see　that？〃
  There　was　no　word　from　the　girl。　　Her　breast　was　moving　convulsively。　　She　held　her　face　steadfastly　averted　from　the　face　of　her　husband。
  〃Why　don't　you　answer　me？〃　　he　insisted。
  Mary's　reply　came　with　all　the　coldness　she　could　command。
  〃That　was　not　in　the　bargain；〃　Mary　said；　indifferently。
  The　man's　voice　grew　tenderly　winning；　persuasive　with　the　longing　of　a　lover；　persuasive　with　the　pity　of　the　righteous　for　the　sinner。
  〃Mary；　Mary！〃　he　cried。　　〃You've　got　to　change。　Don't　be　so　hard。　　Give　the　woman　in　you　a　chance。〃
  The　girl's　form　became　rigid　as　she　fought　for　self…control。　　The　plea　touched　to　the　bottom　of　her　heart；　but　she　could　not；　would　not　yield。　　Her　words　rushed　forth　with　a　bitterness　that　was　the　cover　of　her　distress。
  〃I　am　what　I　am；〃　she　said　sharply。　　〃I　can't　change。　Keep　your　promise；　now；　and　let's　get　out　of　this。〃
  Her　assertion　was　disregarded　as　to　the　inability　to　change。
  〃You　can　change；〃　Dick　went　on　impetuously。　〃Mary；　haven't　you　ever　wanted　the　things　that　other　women　have；　shelter；　and　care；　and　the　big　things　of　life；　the　things　worth　while？　　They're　all　ready　for　you；　now；　Mary。。。。　And　what　about　me？〃　　Reproach　leaped　in　his　tone。　　〃After　all；　you've　married　me。　　Now　it's　up　to　you　to　give　me　my　chance　to　make　good。　　I've　never　amounted　to　much。　　I've　never　tried　much。　　I　shall；　now；　if　you　will　have　it　so；　Mary；　if　you'll　help　me。　　I　will　come　out　all　right；　I　know　thatso　do　you；　Mary。　　Only；　you　must　help　me。〃
  〃I　help　you！〃　The　exclamation　came　from　the　girl　in　a　note　of　incredulous　astonishment。
  〃Yes；〃　Dick　said；　simply。　　〃I　need　you；　and　you　need　me。　　Come　away　with　me。〃
  〃No；　no！〃　was　the　broken　refusal。　　There　was　a　great　grief　clutching　at　the　soul　of　this　woman　who　had　brought　vengeance　to　its　full　flower。　　She　was　gasping。　〃No；　no！　I　married　you；　not　because　I　loved　you；　but　to　repay　your　father　the　wrong　he　had　done　me。　　I　wouldn't　let　myself　even　think　of　you；　and　thenI　realized　that　I　had　spoiled　your　life。〃
  〃No；　not　spoiled　it；　Mary！　Blessed　it！　We　must　prove　that　yet。〃
  〃Yes；　spoiled　it；〃　the　wife　went　on　passionately。　　〃If　I　had　understood；　if　I　could　have　dreamed　that　I　could　ever　care　Oh；　Dick；　I　would　never　have　married　you　for　anything　in　the　world。〃
  〃But　now　you　do　realize；〃　the　young　man　said　quietly。　〃The　thing　is　done。　　If　we　made　a　mistake；　it　is　for　us　to　bring　happiness　out　of　that　error。〃
  〃Oh；　can't　you　see？〃　　came　the　stricken　lament。　　〃I'm　a　jail…bird！〃
  〃But　you　love　meyou　do　love　me；　I　know！〃　The　young　man　spoke　with　joyous　certainty；　for　some　inflection　of　her　voice　had　told　the　truth　to　his　heart。　Nothing　else　mattered。　　〃But　now；　to　come　back　to　this　hole　we're　in　here。　　Don't　you　understand；　at　last；　that　you　can't　beat　the　law？　　If　you're　caught　here　to…night；　where　would　you　get　offcaught　here　with　a　gang　of　burglars？　　Tell　me；　dear；　why　did　you　do　it？　　Why　didn't　you　protect　yourself？　　Why　didn't　you　go　to　Chicago　as　you　planned？〃
  〃What？〃　　There　was　a　new　quality　in　Mary's　voice。　A　sudden　throb　of　shock　masked　in　the　surface　indifference　of　intonation。
  Dick　repeated　his　question；　unobservant　of　its　first　effect。
  〃Why　didn't　you　go　to　Chicago　as　you　had　planned？〃
  〃Planned？　　With　whom？〃　　The　interrogation　came　with　an　abrupt　force　that　cried　of　new　suspicions。
  〃Why；　with　Burke。〃　　The　young　man　tried　to　be　patient　over　her　density　in　this　time　of　crisis。
  〃Who　told　you　that　I　had　arranged　any　such　thing？〃　　Mary　asked。　　Now　the　tenseness　in　her　manner　got　the　husband's　attention；　and　he　replied　with　a　sudden　gravity；　apprehensive　of　he　knew　not　what。
  〃Burke　himself　did。〃
  〃When？〃　　Mary　was　standing　rigid　now；　and　the　rare　color　flamed　in　her　cheeks。　　Her　eyes　were　blazing。
  〃Less　than　an　hour　ago。〃　　He　had　caught　the　contagion　of　her　mood　and　vague　alarm　swept　him。
  〃Where？〃　　came　the　next　question；　still　with　that　vital　insistence。
  〃In　this　room。〃
  〃Burke　was　here？〃　　Mary's　voice　was　suddenly　cold；　very　dangerous。　　〃What　was　he　doing　here？〃
  〃Talking　to　my　father。〃
  The　seemingly　simple　answer　appeared　the　last　straw　to　the　girl's　burden　of　frenzied　suspicion。　　Her　voice　cut　fiercely　into　the　quiet　of　the　room；　imperious；　savage。
  〃Joe；　turn　on　that　light！　I　want　to　see　the　face　of　every　man　in　this　room。〃
  Something　fatally　significant　in　her　voice　set　Garson　a…leap　to　the　switch；　and；　in　the　same　second；　the　blaze　of　the　chandelier　flamed　brilliantly　over　all。　　The　others　stood　motionless；　blinking　in　the　sudden　radianceall　save　Griggs；　who　moved　stealthily　in　that　same　moment；　a　little　nearer　the　door　into　the　passage；　which　was　nearest　to　him。
  But　Mary's　next　words　came　wholly　as　a　surprise；　seemingly　totally　irrelevant　to　this　instant　of　crisis。　　Yet　they　rang　a…throb　with　an　hysterical　anxiety。
  〃Dick；〃　she　cried；　〃what　are　those　tapestries　worth？〃　　With　the　question；　she　pointed　toward　the　draperies　that　shrouded　the　great　octagonal　window。
  The　young　man　was　plainly　astonished；　disconcerted　as　well　by　the　obtrusion　of　a　sordid　detail　into　the　tragedy　of　the　time。
  〃Why　in　the　world　do　you？〃　　he　began；　impatiently。
  Mary　stamped　her　foot　angrily　in　protest　against　the　delay。
  〃Tell　mequick！〃　she　commanded。　　The　authority　in　her　voice　and　manner　was　not　to　be　gainsaid。
  Dick　yielded　sullenly。
  〃Oh；　two　or　three　hundred　dollars；　I　suppose；〃　he　answered。　　〃Why？〃
  〃Never　mind　that！〃　Mary　exclaimed；　violently。　　And　now　the　girl's　voice　came　stinging　like　a　whiplash。　　In　Garson's　face；　too；　was　growing　fury；　for　in　an　instant　of　illumination　he　guessed　something　of　the　truth。　Mary's　next　question　confirmed　his　raging　suspicion。
  〃How　long　have　you　had　them；　Dick？〃
  By　now；　the　young　man　himself　sensed　the　fact　that　something　mysteriously　baneful　lay　behind　the　frantic　questioning　on　this　seemingly　trivial　theme。
  〃Ever　since　I　can　remember；〃　he　replied；　promptly。
  Mary's　voice　came　then　with　an　intonation　that　brought　enlightenment　not　only　to　Garson's　shrewd　perceptions；　but　also　to　the　heavier　intelligences　of　Dacey　and　of　Chicago　Red。
  〃And　they're　not　famous　masterpieces　which　your　father　bought　recently；　from　some　dealer　who　smuggled　them　into　this　country？〃　　So　simple　were　the　words　of　her　inquiry；　but　under　them　beat　something　evil；　deadly。
  The　young　man　laughed　contemptuously。
  〃I　should　say　not！〃　he　declared　indignantly；　for　he　resented　the　implication　against　his　father's　honesty。
  〃It's　a　trick！　Burke's　done　it！〃　Mary's　words　came　with　accusing　vehemence。
  There　was　another　single　step　made　by　Griggs　toward　the　door　into　the　passage。
  Mary's　eye　caught　the　movement；　and　her　lips　soundlessly　formed　the　name：
  〃Griggs！〃
  The　man　strove　to　carry　off　the　situation；　though　he　knew　well　that　he　stood　in　mortal　peril。　　He　came　a　little　toward　the　girl　who　had　accused　him　of　treachery。　He　was　very　dapper　in　his　evening　clothes；　with　his　rather　handsome；　well…groomed　face　set　in　lines　of　innocence。
  〃He's　lying　to　you！〃　he　cried　forcibly；　with　a　scornful　gesture　toward　Dick　Gilder。　　〃I　tell　you；　those　tapestries　are　worth　a　million　cold。〃
  Mary's　answer　was　virulent　in　its　sudden　burst　of　hate。　　For　once；　the　music　of　her　voice　was　lost　in　a　discordant　cry　of　detestation。
  〃You　stool…pigeon！　You　did　this　for　Burke！〃
  Griggs　sought　still　to　maintain　his　air　of　innocence；　and　he　strove　well；　since　he　knew　that　he　fought　for　his　life　against　those　whom　he　had　outraged。　　As　he　spoke　again；　his　tones　were　tremulous　with　sincerityperhaps　that　tremulousness　was　born　chiefly　of　fear；　yet　to　the　ear　his　words　came　stoutly　enough　for　truth：
  〃I　swear　I　didn't！　I　swear　it！〃
  Mary　regarded　the　protesting　man　with　abhorrence。　The　perjured　wretch　shrank　before　the　loathing　in　her　eyes。
  〃You　came　to　me　yesterday；〃　she　said；　with　more　of　restraint　in　her　voice　now；　but