"Sit down!" He pushed
the other into the chair. "There's no one will disturb us here for some
time at least. What is it that I don't know? That three nights ago
you were in a gambling hell, Sagosto's, to be exact, one of the most
disreputable in New York--and you went there on the invitation of a
stray acquaintance, a man named Perley--shall I describe him for you? A
short, slim-built man, black eyes, red hair, beard, and--"

"YOU know that!" The misery, the hopelessness was back in Burton's face
again--and suddenly he bent over the table and buried his head in his
outflung arms.

There was silence for a moment. Tight-lipped, Jimmie Dale's eyes
travelled from Burton's shaking shoulders to the motionless form on the
floor. Then he spoke again:

"You're a bit of a rounder, Burton, but I think you've had a lesson that
will last you all your life. You were half-drunk when you and Perley
began to hobnob over a downtown bar. He said he'd show you some real
life, and you went with him to Sagosto's. He gave you a revolver before
you went in, and told you the place wasn't safe for an unarmed man. He
introduced you to Sagosto, the proprietor, and you were shown to a
back room. You drank quite a little there. You and Perley were alone,
throwing dice. You got into a quarrel. Perley tried to draw his
revolver. You were quicker. You drew the one he had given you--and
fired. He fell to the floor--you saw the blood gush from his breast just
above the heart--he was dead. In a panic you rushed from the place and
out into the street. I don't think you went home that night."

Burton raised his head, showing his haggard face.

"I guess it's no use," he said dully. "If you know, others must. I
thought only Isaac and Sagosto knew. Why haven't I been arrested? I wish
to God I had--I wouldn't have had to-day to answer for."

"I am not through yet," said Jimmie Dale gravely. "The next day old
Isaac here sent for you. He said Sagosto had told him of the murder, and
had offered to dispose of the corpse and keep his mouth shut for fifty
thousand dollars--that no one in his place knew of it except himself.
Isaac, for his share, wanted considerably more. You told him you had no
such sums, that you had no money. He told you how you could get it--you
had access to Maddon's safe, you were Maddon's confidential
secretary, fully in your employer's trust, the last man on earth to be
suspected--and there were Maddon's famous, priceless rubies."

Jim