He grunted something and walked back with her to the office. “This fellow, Michael Pretherston, has to be settled with. Do you understand that?” “Yes,” she replied. “The cars will be on the road in half an hour and you and I will be the first to leave.” “Do you think so?” “What do you mean?” he asked sharply. “I warn you, Kate, that I am not going to stand any monkey tricks from you.” To this she made no answer but pushed at the iron door that led to the meeting place and entered. To her surprise, Michael was present. In addition to his handcuffs his arms had been drawn back by the insertion of a short stick and secured with ropes. Gregori was sitting on the table and made no attempt to stand up, which was another piece of evidence that the hold she thought she had over these men had gone, if it had ever existed. “Kate, you can use your persuasion on this fellow,” said Gregori wearily; “it is his last chance. He has had a night to think it over and he’s still obstinate.” The girl walked up to the detective. “Michael,” she said softly, “would nothing induce you to become--one of us?” “Nothing,” he said. “Nothing that we could give you--that I could give you?” He looked at her steadily. “Nothing that I would take from you at that price,” he said quietly. “Don’t you love your life?” “‘As dearly as any alive,’” quoted Michael. “Don’t you love anything in the world? Isn’t there a girl?” she asked with a little break in her voice. He nodded. “There is a girl,” he said and looked past her. It seemed as though an icy hand had gripped her heart and for a while she could not frame the next question. “Isn’t she worth it?” she said, recovering her balance at last. “She is worth many things,” said Michael, “but not that.” She looked down at the floor. “Poor girl,” she said. “Having tried sentiment,” sneered Gregori, “we will now try a little practical argument--Pretherston you have got about an hour to live.” “I shall die in very bad company,” said Michael with a wry face. “I had hoped at the least that I might die at the hands of a lawful hangman, as you will die. To be butchered by a cheap cutthroat half-breed is not a pleasant prospect.” “Damn you,” said Gregori with passion and struck him in the face. He would have repeated the blow but the girl slipped between them. “Michael, you shall die in good company,” she said in so matter of fact a tone that none of them realized immediately what she was saying; “that is, if you think I am good company.” “What do you mean?” gasped the Colonel. “Why, I think you will kill me, too,” she said with a serenity which to Michael was wonderful, “because I have betrayed you all.” Garon came flinging through the door. “They haven’t turned up,” he screamed, “the wagons have gone.” “Gone,” said Gregori huskily, “gone where?” “I have just been on the ’phone,” gasped the doctor; “they went to Lord Flanborough’s. He has got the stuff.” There was a dead silence broken by the girl.