It had been a very little smile. She was instantly sober. “Very well--I’ll keep it secret and I’ll do what I can,” she said. Clifford gazed at her heavily, a great, numb pain where his heart was. Then he slowly turned to Lieutenant Kelly. “Let ’em all go, Jimmie,” he said briefly. “A pinch means publicity, and publicity is just what this situation doesn’t require.” Jimmie removed the handcuffs and the three went out, Bradley glowering vengeance as he passed. “There’ll be a next time, you bet!” he growled. Clifford made no reply. “Mr. Morton, you go next,” Clifford said brusquely. “You shouldn’t be found here by Jack when he comes to--which may be any minute. Mrs. Morton can take care of Jack. I’ll follow you as soon as I’ve had a word with her.” A moment later Clifford was alone with Mary. He tried to keep his voice steady, but it did not altogether obey him. “I merely wanted to say that Bradley, Loveman, and the others may not be satisfied. You exposed yourself completely, but you exposed no one else. You let them off easy, but they may be afraid of you. What they tried to-night they may try again. I wanted to ask you to be careful.” “I will be,” she said. “And I wanted to say that I hope everything is going to work out for the best for you. For you know”--he ended lamely, not very sure of what he was saying--“I really have wanted to be your friend.” “I know you really have been my friend,” she answered--“my best friend. And I thank you.” “Good-night,” he said. “Good-night,” she answered, in her face a drawn, gray look. For a moment he seemed unable to stir; then, “Good-night,” he repeated, and left her, gray-faced, and standing rigidly upright in the midst of the débris of the evening’s carousal--to wait the awakening of Jack. Out on the sidewalk Clifford turned into a shadowy doorway; he was going to keep watch, and from a distance see Mary safely to the Mordona. Presently he was aware that Loveman was at his side, smiling his amiable smile. “Clever work, Bob,” Loveman said pleasantly. “Now that it’s all finished up, I suppose you are satisfied with the game you’ve played.” “I’ll not be satisfied till I really land you, Loveman.” “No?” said Loveman, very softly. “Perhaps--who knows?--the game may really not all be finished up--for human nature, you know, is human nature--and perhaps there are several other cards to be played--several extremely good cards.” With that the little lawyer moved away. Patiently, with heaviness upon his heart, Clifford stood motionless on guard in the doorway waiting for Mary to appear with her charge ... wondering now over Loveman’s soft remark about cards yet to be played ... now wondering about that gray, drawn look with which Mary had followed him out.... CHAPTER XXVII JACK MAKES A RESOLUTION