t n't_ do anything like that."

Saul did not answer. He waited.

"So I might as well make a clean breast of it. Do you remember when
the last job was?"

"Last Saturday morning."

"Remember where you were at that time?"

"Why--that was the morning I went out with you!"

"Just so," answered Donaldson, his eyes leveled over Saul's head. "I
hate to tell you, but--but it was necessary to do that in order to keep
you away from headquarters."

Saul reached for his throat, pushing him back a step.

"You played me traitor like that?" he demanded.

"It was part of the game," answered Donaldson indifferently. Saul,
fearful of himself, drew back.

The latter tried to reason it out. A man can change a good deal in a
year, but even with opium it seemed impossible for Donaldson so to
abuse a friendship. But he was checked in his recollection of the man
as he had known him by the memory of that very morning. He had been
suspicious even then that something was wrong. Donaldson had appeared
nervous and altered.

"Donaldson," he burst out, "I 'd give up my rank to be out of this
mess."

He added impulsively,

"Tell me it's all a damned lie, Don!"

"No," replied Donaldson, "the sooner it's over the better. I 'm all
through now."

Still Saul hesitated. But there seemed nothing left.

"Come on," he growled.

Donaldson followed him to the cab. He was like a man too tired to care.

"Had n't you better make up some sort of a story for them in there?"
asked Saul, with a jerk of his head towards the house.

"That's so," answered Donaldson. "Will you trust me for a few minutes?"

"Take your time," said Saul.

Donaldson went back up the path and found both Arsdale and his sister
in the library.

"I 'll have to ask you to excuse me for to-night," he said. "I 've
just had word from a friend who wishes me to spend the night with him."

They both looked disappointed.

"He 's waiting out there for me now."

"Perhaps you will come back later," suggested Arsdale.

"Not to-night. Perhaps in the morning. I 'll drop you a word if I 'm
kept longer."

He spoke lightly, with no trace of anything abnormal in his bearing.

"All right, but we 'll miss you," answered Arsdale.

The girl said nothing but her face grew suddenly sober.

They went to the door with him and watched him step into the cab.

Saul had prayed that he would not return, and now looked more as though
it were he that was being led off. He ch