thing--appropriately convincing!"

Her eyes glittered, countering his searching glance, as she stood over
him, her body flung a little forward from the waist, her arms busy with
their quick, angular gesticulation.

"When?" he asked. "When will you do that?"

"Now," she answered instantly. "Now!--Now!--Oh, don't look surprised.
I've thought of this possibility. My God!" she said with a bitterness
that startled him. "I've thought of every possibility, every possible
crook and quirk of this business."

She was struck by his slowness in responding to her offer.

"But you," she asked; "are you sure--have you the proof?"

"Thanks," he said drily. "You needn't be uneasy about that.--Now, if I
may do a little telephoning, we'll start."

He went a step from her and turned back.

"By the way," he stipulated, "that little matter of the five
hundred--you needn't refer to it. I mean it will have to be left out.
It's not necessary."

"No; it isn't," she agreed, with perfect indifference. "And it's spent."

When he had telephoned to Sloanehurst and the sheriff's office, he found
her with her hat on, ready to accompany him.

As they stepped out of the Walman, she saw the automobile waiting for
them. She stopped, a new rage darting from her eyes. He thought she
would go back. After a brief hesitation, however, she gave a short, ugly
laugh.

"You were as sure as that, were you!" she belittled herself. "Had the
car wait--to take me there!"

"By no means," he denied. "I hoped you'd go--that's all."

"That's better," she said, determined to assert her individuality of
action. "You're not forcing me into this, you know. I'm doing it, after
thinking it out to the last detail--for my own satisfaction."

XX

DENIAL OF THE CHARGE

Hastings, fully appreciating the value of surprise, had instructed Mrs.
Brace to communicate none of the new developments to anybody until he
asked for them. Reaching Sloanehurst, he went alone to the library,
leaving her in the parlour to battle as best she might with the
sheriff's anxious curiosity.

Arthur Sloane and Judge Wilton gave him cool welcome, parading for his
benefit an obvious and insolent boredom. Although uninvited to sit down,
he caught up a chair and swung it lightly into such position that, when
he seated himself, he faced them across the table. He was smiling,
enough to indicate a general satisfaction with the world.

There was in his bearing, however, that which carr