ay to
you. Madeleine, sir, has given me a definite assurance that my love for
her is returned."

Still Mr. Coburn made no answer, save then by another slight inclination
of his head, but his eyes had grown anxious and troubled.

"Not unnaturally," Merriman resumed, "I begged her to marry me, but she
saw fit to decline. In view of the admission she had just made, I was
somewhat surprised that her refusal was so vehement. I pressed her for
the reason, but she utterly declined to give it. Then an idea struck me,
and I asked her if it was because she feared that your connection with
this syndicate might lead to unhappiness. At first she would not reply
nor give me any satisfaction, but at last by persistent questioning, and
only when she saw I knew a great deal more about the business than she
did herself, she admitted that that was indeed the barrier. Not to put
too fine a point on it--it is better, is it not, sir, to be perfectly
candid--she is living in terror and dread of your arrest, and she won't
marry me for fear that if it were to happen she might bring disgrace on
me."

Mr. Coburn had not moved during this speech, except that his face had
become paler and the look of cold menace in his eyes seemed charged with
a still more vindictive hatred. Then he answered slowly:

"I can only assume, Mr. Merriman, that your mind has become temporarily
unhinged, but even with such an excuse, you cannot really believe that I
am going to wait here and listen to you making such statements."

Merriman bent forward.

"Sir," he said earnestly, "I give you my word of honor and earnestly
ask you to believe that I am approaching you as a friend. I am myself an
interested party. I have sought this interview for Madeleine's sake. For
her sake, and for her sake only, I have come to ask you to discuss with
me the best way out of the difficulty."

Mr. Coburn rose abruptly.

"The best way out of the difficulty," he declared, no longer attempting
to disguise the hatred he felt, "is for you to take yourself off and
never to show your face here again. I am amazed at you." He took
his automatic pistol out of his pocket. "Don't you know that you are
completely in my power? If I chose I could shoot you like a dog and sink
your body in the river, and no one would ever know what had become of
you."

Merriman's heart was beating rapidly. He had the uncomfortable suspicion
that he had only to turn his back to get a bullet into it. He assumed a