"First, I want you to know that I had nothing to do with the blow you received," she said. "That was going a bit too far. I knew nothing of it until I received a telephone message saying that you were spying on the place where I live, and that you had been captured and brought here." "I understand that, lady," Murk replied. "I know that you have been with Mr. Prale only a few days. If he were in your place now, I might be inclined to turn my back and let those men handle him. But you are not to be blamed for the faults of your employer." "No, ma'am," said Murk. "I am going to tell you only this much: Sidney Prale committed a great wrong against several persons. Those persons have banded together to have vengeance. Sidney Prale deserves everything that can happen to him." "I think you've got him wrong, ma'am," said Murk. "He's even accused of murder, and I know he ain't guilty." "Neither do I believe that he is guilty of that crime, but that has nothing to do with this other affair. The persons who are banded together against Sidney Prale have nothing to do with the murder charge, I am sure." "I reckon he'll be glad to know that. But you've got him wrong in this other thing, lady. Mr. Prale is worried almost to death because he don't know who his enemies are, or why they are causin' him a lot of trouble." "He has led you to believe that?" she asked. "I know he's tellin' the truth, ma'am. He's got a detective workin' tryin' to find out what it all means." "Then he is fooling you, and the detective also. Sidney Prale knows who his enemies are, and why they are troubling him. He tried to tell me that he did not know, and almost in the same breath he told me something that convinced me he did know. You have received an offer to help us. Are you willing?" "I don't intend to turn against Mr. Prale!" Murk declared. "I ain't a man like that! These gents can keep me here and starve me and beat me up, and that's all the good it'll do 'em. I know a man when I see one, and Mr. Prale's a man, and a square man, and I'm goin' to stand by him!" "He has fooled you! You do not know him for the scoundrel that he is." "Maybe it's you that's bein' fooled, lady." "No. If you knew all, you would understand." "Well, why don't you tell me, then? If you prove to me that Mr. Prale is a crook or somethin', and that you people ain't, maybe I'll change my mind about some things." "I can tell you nothing now, except that I am right and that Sidney Prale is fooling you," Kate Gilbert said. "Then I'll stay right here and take my beatin' at the hands of them thugs." "You will do nothing of the kind," she said. "I will not see them use violence toward you." "I don't see how you're goin' to help it, ma'am."