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