he offered no protest when arraigned before the desk lieutenant, and,
with impassive countenance, heard the charge of being an accessory to
the murder of Herbert Whitmore. But, as a matron led her toward the
cells, she began to weep softly and successive tremors shook her frame.

Word of Mrs. Collins's arrest spread through the big police building and
in few minutes Britz was besieged by importuning reporters. He waved
them aside and entered his private office where he was joined by Manning
and Greig.

"Well, Britz, you've certainly given the newspapers a sensation,"
observed the chief. "But it's going to be damned hard to convict a
woman!"

"I've taken a desperate step," rejoined Britz.

"Why--what do you mean?"

"Chief, I outlined my plan to you before leaving for Atlanta," the
detective reminded him. "Let me explain that this crime was not
committed by an outsider. It was the work of one of a small group of
persons. I told you that I would find the man or woman in the group who
did NOT commit the murder and that I would arrest him or her."

"Then you believe she is innocent?" interjected Greig.

"I'm sure of it."

"But man alive, look what you've done!" cried Manning. "Think of the
torture to which you're putting her! Why, it's unheard of! It's
inhuman."

"No, it was the most merciful thing I could have done," answered Britz.

"From your point of view--perhaps!" The chief frowned. "But it's the
most distorted view of mercy I ever heard of. I'm an old-timer at the
police business, but I wouldn't have had the courage or the heart to do
it."

"Don't imagine that I didn't feel badly," said Britz. "She may not be
aware of it now, but it was the kindliest thing I could have done. Why,
to-morrow morning the papers will be full of the latest phase of the
case. Everybody will know that she is Whitmore's residuary legatee. This
woman, entirely unrelated to him, whose husband had threatened to kill
Whitmore, inherits the merchant's fortune. Her brother's business has
been wrecked; wrecked so completely that he abandoned it--hadn't the
courage to face his creditors. She and Ward were in desperate need of
funds. She obtained them through Whitmore's death. On the day before he
was killed she returned to the husband whom she had discarded for the
merchant. What inference do you think the public is going to draw? Why,
that she was Whitmore's mistress and that she and her worthless husband
were in a conspiracy to obtain