He said the police had
put you out of Germany and you'd be arrested if you ever tried to
go back. He said there were other places you didn't dare set foot
in, and he said he could have you arrested in this country any
time he wanted to, and that he was going to do it if he found
you'd been doing anything wrong. Oh, yes, he told me a few
things!"

He caught her by the shoulder. "See here, Cora, do you believe all
this tommy-rot?"

She shook his hand off instantly. "Believe it? I know it! There
isn't a straight line in your whole soul and mind: you're crooked
all over. You've been crooked with _me_ from the start. The moment
that man began to speak, I knew every word of it was true. He came
to me because he thought it was right: he hasn't anything against
you on his own account; he said he _liked_ you! I _knew_ it was
true, I tell you."

He tried to put his hand on her shoulder again, beginning to speak
remonstratingly, but she cried out in a rage, broke away from him,
and ran to the other end of the room.

"Keep away! Do you suppose I like you to touch me? He told me you
always had been a wonder with women! Said you were famous for
`handling them the right way'--using them! Ah, that was pleasant
information for _me_, wasn't it! Yes, I could have confirmed him
on that point. He wanted to know if I thought you'd been doing
anything of that sort here. What he meant was: Had you been using
me?"

"What did you tell him?" The question rang sharply on the instant.

"Ha! That gets into you, does it?" she returned bitterly. "You
can't overdo your fear of that man, I think, but _I_ didn't tell
him anything. I just listened and thanked him for the warning, and
said I'd have nothing more to do with you. How _could_ I tell him?
Wasn't it I that made papa lend you his name, and got Richard to
hand over his money? Where does that put _me_?" She choked; sobs
broke her voice. "Every--every soul in town would point me out as
a laughing-stock--the easiest fool out of the asylum! Do you
suppose _I_ want you arrested and the whole thing in the papers?
What I want is Richard's money back, and I'm going to have it!"

"Can you be quiet for a moment and listen?" he asked gravely.

"If you'll tell me what chance I have to get it back."

"Cora," he said, "you don't want it back."

"Oh? Don't I?"

"No." He smiled faintly, and went on. "Now, all this nonsense of
old Pryor's isn't worth denying. I have met him abroad; that much
is tr