“Have some tea, Jim?” Fanny held a cup. “Thank you.... Have you seen _The World_?” “Now look here, Jim ... you know I never read the papers.” “Of course not. You read up-to-date stuff like the Bible. I know you. But here you’ve been chewing with Wesser and Jack for an hour ... and he’s not told you a thing.” “Lieutenant, I’ve been drinking tea. Shop ... and tea ... don’t rhyme.” “Hell ... well Fanny, things are bad. Mangel was raided last night.” Fanny gripped her chair. Sudden, she saw Clara upstairs in bed ... white ... in the House wearing, wearing. “I didn’t have a damn thing to do with it, Fan,” Jim went on. “I know appearances are against me. I ain’t had no love for Abe Mangel. But I didn’t do it--“ “Well, you can fix that up--“ “If you’d read the papers like a modern citizen, you’d know better. Mangel knows I didn’t do it. Mangel’s gone crazy. He’s had his own place raided!” “What!” “And he’s an appointment for to-morrow morning with the District Attorney to peach on the whole damn System.” Fanny was still. She took the paper that Statt handed her. She did not read it. “He’ll go,” she murmured. “He’s in earnest.” “He’ll go. You’ve made him into this, Jim. He’ll go.” “Unless we stop him.” “You can’t.” “Yes we can, Fanny. We can--and we got to-night to do it.” “What do you mean?” “Abe’s coming here to-night ... to talk to you.” “Yes?” “He goes out of that door--feet first.” Fanny stood up. “You mean--you dare to mean--“ Statt stood also. Mildred and Baruch and Wesser sat. “Now look here, Fanny ... don’t be a damn fool too. Cards on the table. Wesser has the program all arranged. There’s no other way for any of us. Too late. The three boys are ready with the guns. Pfennig and Susan are off. They won’t be back till the coast is clear. So is the cook. And there ain’t any danger. You know the sureness of the House. If it’s done here, it’s done. And if it’s _not_ done here,--why it will be, earlier, somewhere else. Almost as safe. But your House goes to Hell. Do you get me?... Either here ... or out you go, the bunch of you.” “Mark?” Jim Statt smiled. “Have you seen Pfennig? Has he been here of late to see Clara, while she’s so sick? I guess not. And you won’t see him either. He got wind o’ this comin’ ... the wise old owl ... before it came. He is safe--outside.” “Tessie?” “She’s gone with Pfennig. It’s been brewing for a long time, ever since Clara sort of dimmed. Everybody was wise, my dear Fanny, except you. You see too many ghosts.” She saw the House, very real, clattering, crashing-- “You’re threatening me, Jim.” “Fanny, not if you don’t act foolish. It’s too late, even if we could seal him up. You got the House here with Clara sick in it. Sick as hell. Tessie’s gone. Susan’s ready. It’s the best place to do a necessary job. That’s all, girl! Do you want to get smashed? Right away--turned out--and Clara too, right out of bed?” Fanny stood calm a moment. Then she sat down.