dition," he said.

"Oh, what?" She started a little and her face whitened.

He squeezed her fingers with merciless force. "Just that you will
play a straight game with me," he said briefly.

The colour came back to her face with a rush. "That!" she said.
"But of course--of course! I always play a straight game."

"Then it's a bargain?" he said.

Her clear eyes met his. "Yes, a bargain. But how shall we ever
find him?"

He was silent for a moment, and she felt as if those steel-grey
eyes of his were probing for her soul. "That," he said slowly,
"will not be a very difficult business."

"You know where he is?" she questioned eagerly.

"Yes. Merston told me to-day."

"Oh, Burke!" The eager kindling of her look made her radiant.
"Where is he? What is he doing?"

He still looked at her keenly, but all emotion had gone from his
face. "He is tending a bar in a miners' saloon at Brennerstadt."

"Ah!"' She stood up quickly to hide the sudden pain his words had
given. "But we can soon get him out. You--you will get him out,
partner?"

He got to his feet also. The sun had passed, and only a violet
glow remained. He seemed to be watching it as he answered her.

"I will do my best."

"You are good," she said very earnestly. "I wonder if you have the
least idea how grateful I feel."

"I can guess," he said in a tone of constraint.

She was standing slightly above him. She placed her hand shyly on
his shoulder. "And you won't hate it so very badly?" she urged
softly. "It is in a good cause, isn't it?"

"I hope so," he said.

He seemed unaware of her hand upon him. She pressed a little.
"Burke!"

"Yes?" He still stood without looking at her.

She spoke nervously. "I--I shan't forget--ever--that I am married.
You--you needn't be afraid of--of anything like that."

He turned with an odd gesture. "I thought you were going to forget
it--that you had forgotten it--for good."

His voice had a strained, repressed sound. He spoke almost as if
he were in pain.

She tried to smile though her heart was beating fast and hard.
"Well, I haven't. And--I never shall now. So that's all right,
isn't it? Say it's all right!"

There was more of pleading in her voice than she knew. A great
tremor went through Burke. He clenched his hands to subdue it.

"Yes; all right, little pal, all right," he said.

His voice sounded strangled; it pierced her oddly. With a sudden
impetuous gesture she slid