“Sit down, Mrs. Ladew,” said Nick. “Lannigan is just what I say he is. A thief and a burglar, known to the police as the swell cracksman of Philadelphia. He attained an unenviable reputation a short time ago, and I could have landed him in prison; but I was lenient with him. I wanted to give him a chance to reform; but this is the outcome. He is a scoundrel of the worst type and I want to tell you that I shall have him arrested and imprisoned before many days. He has served a term in the State’s prison. He is an ex-convict.” He paused to see the effect of his words on this lady of fashion. “You think,” he went on, “Lannigan went on to New York to meet you and have a spree with you. That was not his real reason. His purpose was to rob the Sanborn house of the wedding presents. You had your spree, as I know, and I can give you every hour and minute of your movements with him through the Tenderloin.” Mrs. Ladew fell back in her chair, her face ashen gray, as she heard Nick say these things. Nick went on: “It is not for me to object to the way of life you have chosen, but I can say, as I did before, that you are a very foolish woman, and, especially, to endanger your reputation by being seen in the company of such a miserable scamp and rascal as this contemptible Jimmy Lannigan.” “I have done nothing wrong,” she said. “Perhaps not; but how would your husband like to know that your escort in New York was a burglar?” “And what do you want of me?” piteously asked Mrs. Ladew. “I might say,” replied Nick, “that I wanted to save you from him, but, to be honest, I have no such purpose. I have told you these things to show you that I know how dangerous is your position. You are in the possession of certain information which I must have and, I tell you now, Mrs. Ladew, that I will use my knowledge of your past three days if you do not give me that information.” “What can I tell you?” “You know that Mr. Ellison mysteriously disappeared from the Sanborn house after the wedding breakfast.” “Yes.” “You know,” Nick went on, “that a man came to the house to see him and that Mr. Ellison left that house in the disguise that man had brought for him.” “Yes.” “Who was that man?” “He was a man from England,” said Mrs. Ladew. “What was his message to Mr. Ellison that made that gentleman so quickly respond?” Mrs. Ladew hesitated a moment and said, finally: “Why do you ask me these questions?” “Because I believe you know them all.” “I do, I do. But they were told me in confidence. And now I see how I am entangled by them.” She got up and walked to the window and looked out a moment. Then she came back, evidently making a severe effort to control herself. Suddenly she turned to Nick and said: “You are no friend of mine. There is no reason why I should trust you. I am in a great trouble. I see that now. And I have no way to turn.”