"Donnegan thrills The Corner!" went on the big man in the same terrible voice. "Donnegan wears queer clothes; Donnegan shoots Scar-faced Lewis; Donnegan pumps the nerve out of poor Jack Landis and then drills him. Why, Nelly, it looks as though I'll have to kill this intruding fool!" She blanched at this, but did not appear to notice. "It's a long time since you've killed a man, isn't it?" she asked coldly. "It's an awful business," declared Lord Nick. "Always complications; have to throw the blame on the other fellow. And even these blockheads are beginning to get tired of my self-defense pleas." "Well," murmured the girl, "don't cross that bridge until you come to it; and you'll never come to it." "Never. Because I don't want him killed." "Ah," Lord Nick murmured. "And why?" "Because he's in love--with me." "Tush!" said Lord Nick. "I see you, my dear. Donnegan seems to be a rare fellow, but he couldn't have gotten Landis out of this house without help. Rix and the Pedlar may have been a bit sleepy, but Donnegan had to find out when they fell asleep. He had a confederate. Who? Not Rix; not the Pedlar; not Lebrun. They all know me. It had to be someone who doesn't fear me. Who? Only one person in the world. Nelly, you're the one!" She hesitated a breathless instant. "Yes," she said. "I am." She added, as he stared calmly at her, considering: "There's a girl in the case. She came up here to get Landis; seems he was in love with her once. And I pitied her. I sent him back to her. Suppose he is a mint; haven't we coined enough money out of him? Besides, I couldn't have kept on with it." "No?" "He was getting violent, and he talked marriage all day, every day. I haven't any nerves, you say, but he began to put me on edge. So I got rid of him." "Nelly, are you growing a conscience?" She flushed and then set her teeth. "But I'll have to teach you business methods, my dear. I have to bring him back." "You'll have to go through Donnegan to do it." "I suppose so." "You don't understand, Nick. He's different." "Eh?" "He's like you." "What are you driving at?" "Nick, I tell you upon my word of honor, no matter what a terrible fighter you may be, Donnegan will give you trouble. He has your hair and your eyes and he moves like a cat. I've never seen such a man--except you. I'd rather see you fight the plague than fight Donnegan!" For the first time Lord Nick showed real emotion; he leaned a little forward. "Just what does he mean to you?" he asked. "I've stood for a good deal, Nelly; I've given you absolute freedom, but if I ever suspect you--" The lion was up in him unmistakably now. And the girl shrank. "If it were serious, do you suppose I'd talk like this?" "I don't know. You're a clever little devil, Nell. But I'm clever, too. And I begin to see through you. Do you still want to save Donnegan?" "For your own sake." He stood up.