Mamie said "Yes," but she appeared confused. When Johnny asked her what was the matter, she burst into tears; and choked and sobbed for some time before she could say a word. She ordered a glass of whiskey, which she never used to drink in the old days, and when the bar-tender had left, she turned to the worried Johnny, embraced him tenderly and said, in a voice which still trembled: "Johnny, will you forgive me if I tell you something? It's pretty bad, but not so bad as it might be, for I love only you." Johnny encouraged her with a kiss and she continued, in a broken voice: "When you were gone again, Johnny, I tried to make my living at the old box-making work; but the pay wasn't big enough for me then. So I began to graft--dipping and shop-lifting--and made money. But a Central Office man you used to know--Jim Lennon--got on to me." "Jim Lennon?" said Johnny, "Sure, I knew him. He used to be sweet on you, Mamie. He treated you right, I hope." Mamie blushed and looked down. "Well?" said Johnny. "Jim came to me one day," she continued, "and told me he wouldn't stand for what I was doing. He said the drygoods people were hollering like mad; and that he'd have to arrest me if I didn't quit. I tried to square him with a little dough, but I soon saw that wasn't what he was after." "'Look here, Mamie,' he finally said. 'It's just this way. Johnny is a good fellow, but he's dead to you and dead to me. He's done time, and that breaks all marriage ties. Now, I want you to hitch up with me, and lead an honest life. I'll give you a good home, and you won't run any more risk of the pen!'" Johnny grew very pale as Mamie said the last words; and when she stopped speaking, he said quietly: "And you did it?" Mamie again burst into tears. "Oh, Johnny," she cried, "what else could I do. He wouldn't let me go on grafting, and I had to live." "And so you married him?" Johnny insisted. The reply was in a whisper. "Yes," she said. For the next thirty seconds Johnny thought very rapidly. This woman had his liberty in her hands. He had told her about the negotiable bonds. Besides, he loved Mamie and understood the difficulty of her position. His life as a thief had made him very tolerant in some respects. He therefore swallowed his emotion, and turned a kind face to Mamie. "You still love me?" he asked, "better than the copper?" "Sure," said Mamie, warmly. "Now listen," said Johnny, the old business-like expression coming back into his face. "I am hounded for the old trick; and the detectives are looking everywhere for these negotiable bonds, which I have here, in this satchel. Can I trust you with them? Will you mind them for me, until things quiet down?" "Of course, I will," said Mamie, gladly.