"Tom," she said, taking a firm grasp on her nerves, "let us talk it over quietly. Sit down." He halted. "I can talk better standing," he said grimly. He came up close to her. She stood her ground, looking him squarely in the eyes. "There isn't much to say, Mary. You know me for what I am, and you know who made me so. He's got to pay, that's all. We won't go into the past. It's not easily forgotten. I guess we remember everything." "Everything," she said. "I'm not excusing myself. I'm past that, and besides it wouldn't go down with you. You know where I've been, and you must give me credit for trying to shield Christine a little bit. I took my medicine, and nobody but you and Grand knew that her father was up there until now, excepting Dick. I want to say to you, Mary, I was railroaded for a crime I didn't commit. I was jobbed. He was at the back of it. He was afraid of me--and well he might have been. I did a lot of rotten things while you and I were ploddin' along through those last two years with the show--you know what they were. But it was whiskey! I took money that didn't belong to me--yours and Christine's, and Grand's, and Jenison's. I did worse than that, Mary. I sold you out to Bob Grand--you knew that, too. But I'm going to try to pay up all my debts--all of 'em, in a day or two. I owe you my ugly, worthless life. I'm going to pay you in full by ending it. I owe Colonel Grand for everything I was, for what I am. I'm going to pay him, so help me God. Don't interrupt! My mind's made up. Nothing above hell can change it. I came here to ask you just two questions. I want you to answer them. I'm going to believe you. You never lie, I know that." "I will answer them, Tom." He hesitated, his gaze wavering for the first time. "I--I hate to ask you this first one, Mary," he said. "Go on. Ask it." "It's a mean question, but I've just _got_ to hear you say no. Did you go to England with Bob Grand?" "No." He breathed deeply. "That's one," he said. "Here's the other. Did he give you money to live on, to educate Christine with, abroad?" "No.", "I'll ask still another. Where did you get the money?" "Some of it from my father. Afterwards I brought suit against you and Colonel Grand for an accounting. He was compelled to pay into court all that was due me as part owner of Van Slye's. I had my own money in the show. I could not be robbed of that." "I'm glad you did that. It must have been a nasty dose for him." "His wife tried to make trouble for me. You heard that?" "I knew she would, sooner or later." "You knew it?" "She wasn't blind." "But how could she dare to think that I--" "She knew her husband's reputation, that's all. He was careless about women." His face went black as a thundercloud. "But he's had his day!" "Tom," she cried, clutching the lapels of his coat, "you shall not leave this house until you've promised me to do nothing--"