“You see here!” Nancy forcibly interrupted. “I’m going to have my say, and it won’t take me long. I’m done with the life I’ve led, and done with you fellows. That plunder is going back to the bank. That’s what I’m going to do for a starter on the new road. I knew you guys would watch me. I reckoned I’d better not take this gent to the place where the stuff is hid, not till I was dead sure you weren’t trailing me. So I took him to a fake place first, just to find out, and you and your push were on hand to nail us. You’ve got us, all right; but you’ll not get the coin. I fooled you--and I’ll keep you fooled. You’ll get nothing from me.” She had told the whole story in those few passionate words, a story that might have filled a volume, and the look on Gridley’s face was one to have appalled a less fearless speaker. He turned quickly to his confederates and fiercely cried: “We’ll see about that, pals! We’ll find out whether she’ll speak. Pull the boots off of this gospel sharp and shove his feet into the fire. She brought him into this mess. Let’s see whether she’ll pull him out of it. She can do it only by squealing. If not, we’ll burn his feet off, and----” “Say!” cried Patsy. “Cut that, you fellows.” “Cut nothing! You dry up, or we’ll cut out the tongue you talk with.” Nancy Nordeck had turned as white as a sheet. “Keep quiet, my girl, and be brave,” said Maybrick, observing her. “Reveal nothing--no matter what these scoundrels do. That is your new duty.” “I’ll stick, sir, if you say it,” said Nancy, but she was trembling from head to foot. “Oh, you will, eh?” thundered Gridley. “We’ll see whether you will. Grab the gospel sharp, two of you, and----” But there was no grabbing done of that nature. Gridley’s furious commands were drowned by the crash of a falling door, the rending of blinds and the breaking of shuttered windows, at which the heads of policemen and leveled revolvers instantly appeared. Patsy Garvan guessed the truth, and a yell broke from him. “Hurrah! Zambo! It’s all off! The chief is here!” Patsy was right. While the words were still on his lips, Nick, Chick, and Danny tore through the hall and rushed into the room, with weapons drawn and blood in their eyes. Gridley vented an oath and snatched up one of Patsy’s revolvers, still lying on the table. A bullet from Nick’s weapon broke the rascal’s wrist. He fell to the floor, howling with pain. Chick had a gun under Magill’s nose, and Morgan and Phelan had thrown up their hands. There was very little to it after that, in so far as opposition was concerned. Within five minutes the crooks were in irons, their captives liberated, and Nancy Nordeck relieved of her fears and started, indeed, on the better road.