Miriam's proud figure sagged. No further sound escaped her. All the color left her face. She looked old and haggard. Kate thought she was about to fall, and made a step towards her. Miriam stiffened with hate, and Kate fell back. "What shall we do with this man?" asked the sergeant. "Take him to headquarters," said Jack. "Watch him well. You've got the cleverest crook in America there." "Much obliged for the compliment," said Evers coolly. "May I speak to you a moment, alone, before they take me?" "No, Jack, no!" Kate cried involuntarily. Jack silenced her with a smile. "Search him for weapons," he said. The detectives frisked their captive efficaciously. Nothing more dangerous than a pen-knife was revealed. "Go into the front room," Jack said to Evers. "No use trying a window, because there are four more men in the street." He motioned to the detectives to remain at the doors. He followed Evers. In the middle of the gaudy blue salon Evers turned with his queer smile. "I suppose you don't want to shake hands with me." Jack was nonplussed. He felt that he had no business to be liking the man and yet--he did. "One must draw the line somewhere," he muttered. "After all you murdered my benefactor." Evers was not in the least put out. "Oh, come! Looking at it from a disinterested point of view, old Silas Gyde was not much of a loss to the community, was he? And he wasn't your benefactor until I put him out of the way." "I can't argue that with you," said Jack stiffly. "Murder is murder!" "Well, let it pass," said Evers. "That isn't what I wanted to talk to you about. It's my old lady out there. I swear to you on my honor--such as it is, that she never knew what I was up to. She thought it was smuggling, and no woman considers smuggling a crime, you know. She's sixty-three years old and has a heart complaint. Let her go." "Why, I'll do what I can," said Jack, more and more uncomfortable. "But I can't tell what the trial may bring out." "There won't be any trial," said Evers quietly. "What----! You mean----?" Evers merely smiled. Jack half turned as if to call for help. "Wait!" said Evers sharply. "Didn't I give you a good run for your money?" he went on with a genuine note of appeal. "And you've won. Can't you afford to be generous? Don't interfere. Let me pay my forfeit in my own way. The trouble with me was, I couldn't endure the tedium of a respectable life. But I am no quitter. I went into this with my eyes open, knowing the penalty. I was prepared to pay it at any moment." "I won't interfere," said Jack in a low tone.