paused to reproduce his
flask. With a sardonic grin he lifted the bottle, bowed to Janet and
drank the liquor neat. When he had finished, he turned the bottle
upside down to show it was empty, then tossed it into a corner. Again
he fixed his drunken, mocking smile upon her.

"Can't preach to me about booze here, can you, honey?" he said. "Ought
to take a swallow yourself; warm you up. I have plenty. Guess I better
untie your hands now." He advanced towards her, swaying slightly.
"You're going to love me from this time on, ain't you, girlie?" He
untied the handkerchief and dropped it at his feet. "No nonsense now
about trying to get away; I'll rope you for good if you try to start
anything. Hello, what's that?"

"No; give it to me!" she cried, in alarm as he pulled the folded
sheets of paper from her stiffened fingers.

"Something I ought to see, maybe." Then he added harshly, "Sit down,
if you don't care to have me teach you a thing or two. I'm master
here."

He stepped to the table and drawing a box beside him settled upon it,
pulled the candle-stick nearer and began to read the document. Janet
glanced swiftly about the room for a weapon. Escape past him she could
not, for by a single spring he could bar the way; but could she lay
hand on a stick of wood she might fight her way out. None was nearer
than the fire, and again he could interpose.

He read on and on, with a darkening brow and an evil glint showing in
his eyes. Page by page he perused Saurez' deposition until he reached
the end. Then he got to his feet, shaking the paper at her head.

"You were in on this," he snarled. "This is what you were in Martinez'
office to get. You're wise to this cursed scheme to help Weir make my
father and Vorse and Burkhardt and Judge Gordon out a gang of
swindlers. So they trimmed _his_ father of something--at least I fancy
they did, and I hope to God they did, the coward! And you were in with
them! You're not quite the little white angel you'd have people
believe, are you? Not quite so innocent and simple as you've made me
think, anyway. Well, I'll square all that. That slippery snake,
Martinez, I'll twist his neck the minute I get back to town. I'll bet
a thousand it was framed up to use this when Weir was arrested--but
he'll never use it now!"

He glared at the girl with a face distorted by rage.

"We'll just burn it here and now," he continued. "Then we'll be sure
it won't be used."

Janet gripped her hands tigh