fists in their faces,
cursing them in utter abandon.

"'I'm bad!' he cried. 'I've gone everything, everything but the
limit--everything but murder. I stop there! I'll have no more to do
with this. I'm through! You--you pulled me into this, and--and I didn't
know!'

"'Well, you know now!' the third man sneered. 'What are you going to do
about it?'

"'I'm going to see that no harm comes to Marie LaSalle,' Travers
answered in a dull way.

"The other man now was on his feet--and, I do not know quite how to
express it, Jimmie, he seemed ominously quiet in both his voice and his
movements.

"'You'd better think that over again, Travers!' he said. 'Do you mean
it?'

"'I mean it,' Travers said. 'I mean it--God help me!'

"'You may well add that!' returned the other, with an ugly laugh. He
reached out his hand toward the telephone on the table. 'Do you know
what will happen to you if I telephone a certain number and say that you
have turned--traitor?'

"'I'll have to take my chances,' Travers replied doggedly. 'I'm
through!'

"'Take them, then!' flung out the other. 'You'll have little time given
you to do us any harm?'

"Travers did not answer. I think he almost expected an attack upon him
then from the two men. He hesitated a moment, then backed slowly toward
the door. What happened in the next few moments in that room, I do not
know. I stole out of the library. I was obsessed with the thought that
I must see Travers, see him at all costs, before he got away from the
house. I reached the end of the hall as the room door opened, and he
came out. It was dark, as I said, and I could not see distinctly, but
I could make out his form. He closed the door behind him--and then
I called his name in a whisper. He took a quick step toward me, then
turned and hurried toward the front door, and I thought he was going
away--but the next instant I understood his ruse. He opened the front
door, shut it again quite loudly, and crept back to me.

"'Take me somewhere where we will be safe--quick!' he whispered.

"There was only one place where I was sure we would be safe. I led
him to the rear of the house and up the servants' stairs, and to my
boudoir."

She broke off abruptly, and once more rose from her chair, and once
more began to pace the room. Back in his chair, Jimmie Dale, tense and
motionless now, watched her without a word.

"It would take too long to tell you all that passed between us," she
went on hurriedly. "