"I'm sorry, sir," he said, standing his ground manfully but with a trace more of respect in his manner than had theretofore characterized it, "but there's uh gentleman--uh--your fren' Bannerman's outside 'nd wants tuh speak tuh yeh." "Tell him to--" "Excuse _me_. He says he's gottuh see yeh. If yeh don't come out, he'll come after yeh. I thought yeh'd ruther--" "That's kindly thought of," Maitland relented. "I'll be there in a minute," he added meaningly. Hickey took an impassive face to the doorway, where, whether or not with design, he stood precisely upon the threshold, filling it with his burly shoulders. Maitland bent again over the girl, and took her hand. "Dearest," he said gently, "please don't run away from me again." Her eyes were brimming, and he read his answer in them. Quickly--it was no time to harry her emotions further; but so much he had felt he must say--. he brushed her hand with his lips and joined Hickey. Thrusting the detective gently into the outer room, with a not unfriendly hand upon his shoulder, Maitland closed the door. "Now, see here," he said quietly and firmly, "you must help me arrange to get this lady away without her becoming identified with the case, Hickey. I'm in a position to say a good word for you in the right place; she had positively nothing to do with Anisty," (this, so far as he could tell, was as black a lie as he had ever manufactured under the lash of necessity), "and--there's a wad in it for the boys who help me out." "Well...." The detective shifted from one foot to the other, eying him intently. "I guess we can fix it,--freight elevator 'nd side entrance. Yeh have the cab waitin', 'nd--" "I'll go with the lady, you understand, and assume all responsibility. You can come round at your convenience and arrange the details with me, at my rooms, since you will be so kind." "I dunno." Hickey licked his lips, watching with a somber eye the preparations being made for the removal of Anisty's body. "I'd 've give a farm if I could've caught that son of a gun alive!" he added at apparent random, and vindictively. "All right. Yeh be responsible for th' lady, if she's wanted, will yeh?" "Positively." "I gottuh have her name 'nd add-ress." "Is that essential?" "Sure. Gottuh protect myself 'n case anythin' turns up. Yeh oughttuh know that." "I--don't want it to come out," Maitland hesitated, trying to invent a plausible lie. "Well, any one can see how you feel about it." Maitland drew a long breath and anticipated rashly. "It's Mrs. Maitland," he told the man with a tremor. Hickey nodded, unimpressed. "Uh-huh. I knowed that all along," he replied. "But seein' as yeh didn't want it talked about...." And, apparently heedless of Maitland's startled and suspicious stare: "If yeh're goin' to see yer fren', yeh better get a wiggle on. He won't last long." "Who? Bannerman? What the deuce do you mean?"