you see the connection?

"Jim can tell you every word I've told you and a lot more and there
should be some way of using it to aid him. I don't know how, but there
should be some way. If he told everything to the district attorney here,
don't you think it might help him a little? You see, Cummings wants him
sent back to New York as soon as possible so he won't start talking. He
won't say anything about what Jim has done here because he wants him out
of the state.

"I thought that if Jim would tell his story to the district attorney or
to some newspaper it might be arranged to have some recommendation for
leniency for him when he goes back to New York. Or, he might be able to
have the charge back there dropped and get immunity out here."

She paused. There was a tense silence until she spoke again, softly.

"You see," she said, "I love Jim and he loves me. We had decided, after
this experience with Cummings, to go straight. Jim told me that he would
work the rest of his life to pay back whatever he had taken wrongfully
and we would be happy together. We wouldn't have to live in fear and the
day would come when we could hold up our heads and have a little home
and--and--children."

John thought he saw tears in her eyes as she ended the sentence.

"I have trusted you in telling you this," she said. "I feel that I can
trust you. Tell me, please tell me, can anything be done with what I've
told you?"

She looked toward them pleadingly, anxiously. Brennan was sitting on the
edge of the davenport, his body bent forward, his elbows on his knees,
gazing intently at the girl.

"A crook can't think straight all the time," he said, quietly. "'Gink'
Cummings has made his mistake."

CHAPTER XVII

The story told by Evelyn Hatch--Evelyn was her given name--was twice
repeated by John and Brennan the next day, first to P. Q. and then to
the publisher of their paper. It was decided that Hatch's own story
should be obtained and, if possible, put in affidavit form. Following
their conferences with P. Q. and the "chief" they went directly to the
county jail where "Big Jim" was brought down from his cell at their
request.

He greeted them genially, offering them cigars as they led him to a
quiet corner of the reception room.

"I always try to be a good scout with newspaper men," Hatch said,
smiling. "I've had considerable experience with reporters and I've
always found them square and fair. And, without speaking person