Brett hesitated, asking himself whether he should be justified in telling her what he expected as well as what he knew. "Well--" he continued at last, "you know in such cases the injured parties appeal to the law. But it is of no use to talk about that until you know the result of the inquiry." "Do you mean, do you really mean that John may be arrested?" asked Mrs. Darche, turning pale. "At any moment." Brett answered in a low voice. Almost as soon as he had spoken he left her side and crossed the room as though not wishing to be a witness to the effect the news must have upon her. Before his back was turned she sank into a chair and covered her face with her hands. A long pause followed. Marion was the first to speak. "Mr. Brett--" she said, and stopped. "Yes." He came back to her side at once. "Can you not help me?" she asked earnestly. "How can I?" "Is there nothing, nothing that can be done?" "The whole matter is already beyond my power, or yours, or any one's." Marion looked steadily at him for several seconds and then turned her face away, leaning against the mantelpiece. "I am sure something can be done." "No, nothing can be done." He did not move, and spoke in a tone of the utmost decision. "That is not true," said Marion turning upon him suddenly. "Money can help him, and we are wasting time. Do not lose a moment! Take all I have in the world and turn it into money and take it to him. Go! Do not lose a moment! Go! Why do you wait? Why do you look at me so?" "It would not be a drop in the bucket," answered Brett, still not moving. "All I have!" "All you have." "That is impossible," cried Mrs. Darche, incredulously. "I am not enormously rich, but it is something. It is between four and five hundred thousand dollars. Is it not? I have heard you say so." "Something like that," assented Brett, as though the statement did not alter the case. Mrs. Darche came close to him, laid her hand upon his arm and gently pushed him, as though urging him to leave her. "Go! I say," she cried. "Take it. Do as I tell you. There may be time yet. It may save them." But Brett did not move. "It is utterly useless," he said stolidly. "It is merely throwing money out of the window. Millions could not stop the inquiry now, nor prevent the law from taking its course if it is appealed to." "You will not do it?" asked Marion with something almost like a menace in her voice. "No, I will not," said Brett, more warmly. "I will not let you ruin yourself for nothing." "Are you really my friend?" She drew back a little and looked at him earnestly. "Your friend? Yes--and more--more than that, far more than you can dream of." "Will you refuse, do you refuse, to do this for me?" "Yes, I refuse." "Then I will do it for myself," she said with a change of tone as though she had suddenly come to a decision. "I will let my husband do it for me. You cannot refuse to give me what is mine, what you have in your keeping."