"I would willingly undertake it, nevertheless," I answered, "if I only knew where to begin." "If there is any truth in Littell's words, it might lead you to very unpleasant consequences," Van Bult here suggested. I was reflecting over his words, when Littell, reading my thoughts, added: "If you do continue your investigation of this case, and it does lead to some man you know, what will you do?" "I can do but one thing," I answered, "give that man to justice." "And if he should be friend, what then?" Such a contingency had never occurred to me before, but in the trend of the conversation it seemed a possibility, and I felt its awful responsibility. "Give it up, Dick," advised Davis; "Littell is only dissecting you morally, and the idea is too absurd to talk about, much less to accept seriously"; but I saw the others were waiting for my decision, and I would not evade it. "I would still do the same," I answered. "Do you think it would be really worth while or your duty, to do such a thing?" Littell asked. "Winters will probably be acquitted; White is past helping, and what could be gained by offering up a friend as a sacrifice?" "Nothing," I answered, "but the demands of the law." He leaned over and put his hand on my shoulder. "Dick," he said, "you are a strange fellow with more than your share of conscientiousness, but even with you there must be a point where duty ceases and human nature asserts itself. Would you, if it were one of us three, your friends, upon whom you fixed this crime, give him over to the gallows?" "I refuse to answer," I said. "But you would do it!" Van Bult asserted, and I did not dispute him. "I am going home," Davis broke in. "I have had enough of this; you fellows can go on hanging one another all night, if you choose, but I won't have a hand in it," and he pushed his chair back from the table. The laugh that followed relieved the tension, and we prepared to break up. "Let us have a last drink together before we go out," Littell said, and following his example, we all rose and filled our glasses. "The toast?" Van Bult asked. "Failure to Dallas," said Littell, and I could not refuse to join them. To change the tenor of our thoughts, I asked Littell if he had definitely decided about his trip. "Yes," he replied, "I shall go to Florida, to-morrow, but will be back in time to receive any revelations you may have to make." "Better take him with you," said Davis. "He is hardly good company, but it will keep him out of harm." "Why not go?" Van Bult urged. "It will do you good--you need rest even more than Littell." "No," I said, "I will stay here."