"Try another one," sneered Carr. "Where did you get that eight hundred and fifty dollars?" "What business is it of yours? Can't I spend my own money in my own way without being trailed and hounded all over the city?" "You can spend your own money--the money you earn by working and the money I pay you for keeping your eyes open on the dock as you please. But--" and here Carr reached forward and grasped the girl's wrist, drawing her slowly toward him, so that her eyes looked straight into his, "when it comes to spending other money--money that you got for keeping your mouth shut and putting it over on me--that's another story." "I didn't, Dick; I didn't!" "Can you look me straight in the eyes and say that they haven't paid you for being blind? That they didn't suspect what you came to the dock for, and declared you in on the split? No! I didn't think you could!" With that he flung her on a couch and moved toward the door. Just as his hand touched the knob he heard a voice behind him, half sob and half plea, cry, "Dick!" Reluctantly he turned. "Dick, as there's a God in heaven I didn't mean to double cross you. But they were on to me from the first. They planted some stamps in my pocket during the first week I was there and then gave me my choice of bein' pulled for thieving or staying there at double pay. I didn't want to do it, but they had the goods on me and I had to. They said all I had to do was to tell you that nothing crooked was goin' on--and they'll pay me well for it." "While you were also drawing money from me, eh?" "Sure I was, Dick. I couldn't ask you to stop my pay. You'd have suspected. Besides, as soon as you were done with me, they were, too." "That's where the eight hundred and fifty dollars came from?" "Yes, and a lot more. Oh, they pay well, all right!" For fully a minute there was silence in the little apartment, broken only by the sobs of the girl on the couch. Finally Carr broke the strain. "There's only one way for you to square yourself," he announced. "Tell me everything you know--the truth and every word of it!" "That's just it, Dick. I don't know anything--for sure. There's something goin' on. No doubt of that. But what it is I don't know. They keep it under cover in the scale house." "In the scale house?" "Yes; they don't allow anyone in there without a permit. Somebody uptown tips 'em off whenever a special agent is coming down, so they can fix things. But none of the staff knows, though nearly all of them are drawin' extra money for keeping their mouths shut." "Who are the men who appear to be implicated?" "Mahoney, the checker for the company, and Derwent, the government weigher." "Derwent!" "Yes, he's in on it, too. I tell you, Dick, the thing's bigger than you ever dreamed. It's like an octopus, with tentacles that are fastened on everyone connected with the place." "But no clue as to the location of the body of the beast?"