"How did you get here?" asked Thane, sensing peril in those boring, unfaltering eyes. His hand went out to feel for the revolver he had dropped. "Where--What has become of the man that jumped on me? The detective." "I am the man," said Cale levelly. "You? What's the matter with you, Cale? This is a hell of a way to treat a friend. What do you mean by helping these--" "Cut that out," snarled Cale. "It don't go with me. Get up! You dirty cur,--get up!" "My God, Cale,--have you gone crazy?" gasped Thane, going cold to the marrow. He shot a swift, terrified look toward the mouth of the cave. "Get up! It won't do you any good to yell. No one will hear you." Courtney drew himself to his knees. "It won't, eh? There's a gang of Secret Service men down there. They'll blow your brains out if you--" "There is no one down there," said the boy, a crooked smile on his lips. "I tell you there is," cried the other, desperately. "I heard them. They trailed me here. They--" "I guess I put one over on you, Courtney," interrupted Cale, his voice low and deadly. "I am the fellow that chased you here. There's nobody else. Oh, I know they're looking for you,--but they don't know where you are. Nobody knows but me. I saw you sneaking across that lot back yonder. I was down at the ferry--I saw--Rosabel--there." His voice faltered. He steadied it with an effort before going on. "I was too late. She wrote me. Then father telegraphed me--They let me off. I came as soon as I could. I ran all the way from Hawkins. I knew what had happened. She wrote me. But I thought maybe she'd lose her nerve,--or, maybe you would do the right thing by her and save her. I saw her down there on the dock. You did it. You got her into trouble. You--" "I don't know what you are talking about," cried the other. "What's this you are saying? Have you lost your mind, Cale? My God, boy,--I,--why, what sort of a beast do you think I am? I--I adored her. Come, come, Cale! Calm yourself! You know perfectly well how fond I was of her. I couldn't have done anything so foul as--Why, Cale, she was nothing but a kid, a little girl to me. I--" "Yes,--that's what she was,--a kid, just a poor little kid. She trusted you. I trusted you. We all trusted you. And now she's--she's dead. My sister! My pretty little sister!" He straightened up and threw his arm across his eyes, only to withdraw it instantly. "GOD DAMN YOU! Get up! Come over here! Here's her letter. Read it! Read it, you dirty swine!" He reached inside his blouse and drew forth a folded bit of paper. "I--I don't want to read it," faltered Thane, shrinking back. "I know nothing about all this nonsense you are--" "I give you ten seconds to do what I tell you," grated Cale, harshly. "If you don't I'll blow your head off." He levelled the revolver. "It's your own gun,--so I guess you know it's loaded. Come on!" Thane crawled to the fire. "My God,--you wouldn't kill me, Cale?" he gasped, reaching out his shaking hand for the letter.