"

Collins's eyes traveled about the room, lingering on the various objects
that were so intimately associated with the woman whom he had thought so
loyal.

"So she too was ready to turn against me!" He shook his head in a
self-pitying way. "The one person who, I thought, would never desert
me!" His eyes took on a fixidity, as if gazing at a distant object.
"Money gone!" he murmured, as if talking to himself. "Girl dead--a
traitor! Home broken! What's the use?"

The others watched him silently, breathlessly, their eyes lighted with
eager expectancy. Collins had sunk into that state of complete
despondency wherein even the primal instinct of self-preservation is
weakened to the point of extinction. Britz had applied the much-abused
and publicly misunderstood third degree in a manner shrewdly calculated
to shatter the resisting qualities of the victim's will. By alternately
tyrannizing over and cajoling the prisoner--for Collins virtually was a
prisoner--he had finally produced in him a condition of mind that
invariably leads to confession.

"Well, Collins!" Britz smiled encouragingly. "Only one man can save
you--that's yourself. You know as well as I how quickly the others would
sacrifice you to save themselves. If you permit them to destroy you, you
have only yourself to blame."

Collins lifted his head and met the steady gaze of the detective. The
last ounce of resistance had departed from his weak nature. He was ready
to yield. But a sudden interruption occurred to divert the attention of
those in the room. Someone was banging violently on the door. Britz
motioned the others not to leave their chairs, hoping that whoever was
seeking admittance would conclude that the apartment was unoccupied and
leave. But the banging continued until finally the detective was moved
to open the door.

A man burst into the room, brushing past Britz and precipitating his
figure into the sitting room.

"Luckstone!" exclaimed Collins, bounding out of his chair.

The lawyer gazed angrily from his client to Britz.

"What does this mean?" he demanded.

"It means that Mr. Collins has dispensed with your services and is ready
to confide in me," answered the detective with calm assurance.

Luckstone's eyes narrowed on Collins. The latter nodded a weak assent to
the detective's words.

"I've been searching for you all evening," the lawyer burst forth
excitedly. "Called up your house, went to the club and finally took a
chance on f