There was absolute silence in the library after the turning ofthe switch that brought the pall of darkness. Long secondspassed, then a little noise--the knob of the passage doorturning. As the door swung open, there came a gasping breathfrom Mary, for she saw framed in the faint light that came fromthe single burner in the corridor the slender form of herhusband, Dick Gilder. In the next instant he had stepped withinthe room and pulled to the door behind him. And in that sameinstant Chicago Red had pounced on his victim, the huge handclapped tight over the young man's mouth. Even as his powerfularm held the newcomer in an inescapable embrace, there came asound of scuffling feet and that was all. Finally the big man'svoice came triumphantly.

　　"I've got him.""It's Dick!" The cry came as a wail of despair from the girl.

　　At the same moment, Garson flashed his torch, and the light fellswiftly on young Gilder, bowed to a kneeling posture before thecouch, half-throttled by the strength of Chicago Red. Closebeside him, Mary looked down in wordless despair over this finaldisaster of the night. There was silence among the men, all ofwhom save the captor himself were gathered near the fireplace.

　　Garson retired a step farther before he spoke his command, sothat, though he held the torch still, he like the others was inshadow. Only Mary was revealed clearly as she bent in alarmtoward the man she had married. It was borne in on the forger'sconsciousness that the face of the woman leaning over theintruder was stronger to hold the prisoner and to prevent anyoutcry than the might of Chicago Red himself, and so he gave theorder.

　　"Get away, Red."The fellow let go his grip obediently enough, though with atrifle of regret, since he gloried in his physical prowess.

　　Thus freed of that strangling embrace, Dick stumbled blindly tohis feet. Then, mechanically, his hand went to the lamp on thetable back of the couch. In the same moment Garson snapped historch to darkness. When, after a little futile searching, Dickfinally found the catch, and the mellow streamed forth, heuttered an ejaculation of stark amazement, for his gaze wasriveted on the face of the woman he loved.

　　"Good God!" It was a cry of torture wrung from his soul of souls.

　　Mary swayed toward him a little, palpitant with fear --fear forherself, for all of them, most of all for him.

　　"Hush! hush!" she panted warningly. "Oh, Dick, you don'tunderstand."Dick's hand was at his throat. It was not easy for him to speakyet. He had suffered severely in the process of being throttled,and, too, he was in the clutch of a frightful emotion. To findher, his wife, in this place, in such company--her, the womanwhom he loved, whom, in spite of everything, he had honored, thewoman to whom he had given his name! Mary here! And thus!

　　"I understand this," he said brokenly at last. "Whether you everdid it before or not, this time you have broken the law." Asudden inspiration on his own behalf came to him. For his love'ssake, he must seize on this opportunity given of fate to him formastery. He went on with a new vehemence of boldness that becamehim well.

　　"You're in my hands now. So are these men as well. Unless you doas I say, Mary, I'll jail every one of them."Mary's usual quickness was not lacking even now, in this periodof extremity. Her retort was given without a particle ofhesitation.

　　"You can't," she objected with conviction. "I'm the only oneyou've seen.""That's soon remedied," Dick declared. He turned toward the halldoor as if with the intention of lighting the chandelier.

　　But Mary caught his arm pleadingly.

　　"Don't, Dick," she begged. "It's--it's not safe.""I'm not afraid," was his indignant answer. He would have goneon, but she clung the closer. He was reluctant to use over-muchforce against the one whom he cherished so fondly.

　　There came a diversion from the man who had made the capture, whowas mightily wondering over the course of events, which waswholly unlike anything in the whole of his own rather extensivehousebreaking experience.

　　"Who's this, anyhow?" Chicago Red demanded.

　　There was a primitive petulance in his drawling tones.

　　Dick answered with conciseness enough.

　　"I'm her husband. Who are you?"Mary called a soft admonition.

　　"Don't speak, any of you," she directed. "You mustn't let himhear your voices."Dick was exasperated by this persistent identification of herselfwith these criminals in his father's house.

　　"You're fighting me like a coward," he said hotly. His voice wasbitter. The eyes that had always been warm in their glances onher were chill now. He turned a little way from her, as if ininstinctive repugnance. "You are taking advantage of my love.

　　You think that because of it I can't make a move against thesemen. Now, listen to me, I----""I won't!" Mary cried. Her words were shrill with mingledemotions. "There's nothing to talk about," she went on wildly.

　　"There never can be between you and me."The young man's voice came with a sonorous firmness that was newto it. In these moments, the strength of him, nourished bysuffering, was putting forth its flower. His manner wasmasterful.

　　"There can be and there will be," he contradicted. He raised hisvoice a little, speaking into the shadows where was the group ofsilent men.

　　"You men back there!" he cried. "If I give you my word to letevery one of you go free and pledge myself never to recognize oneof you again, will you make Mary here listen to me? That's all Iask. I want a few minutes to state my case. Give me that.

　　Whether I win or lose, you men go free, and I'll forgeteverything that has happened here to-night." There came amuffled guffaw of laughter from the big chest of Chicago Red atthis extraordinarily ingenuous proposal, while Dacey chuckledmore quietly.

　　Dick made a gesture of impatience at this open derision.

　　"Tell them I can be trusted," he bade Mary curtly.

　　It was Garson who answered.

　　"I know that you can be trusted," he said, "because I know youlo----" He checked himself with a shiver, and out of the darknesshis face showed white.

　　"You must listen," Dick went on, facing again toward the girl,who was trembling before him, her eyes by turns searching hisexpression or downcast in unfamiliar confusion, which she herselfcould hardly understand.

　　"Your safety depends on me," the young man warned. "Suppose Ishould call for help?"Garson stepped forward threateningly.

　　"You would only call once," he said very gently, yet most grimly.

　　His hand went to the noiseless weapon in his coat-pocket.

　　But the young man's answer revealed the fact that he, too, wasdetermined to the utmost, that he understood perfectly thesituation.

　　"Once would be quite enough," he said simply.

　　Garson nodded in acceptance of the defeat. It may be, too, thatin some subtle fashion he admired this youth suddenly grownresolute, competent to control a dangerous event. There was eventhe possibility that some instinct of tenderness toward Maryherself made him desire that this opportunity should be given forwiping out the effects of misfortune which fate hitherto hadbrought into her life.

　　"You win," Garson said, with a half-laugh. He turned to theother men and spoke a command.

　　"You get over by the hall door, Red. And keep your ears openevery second. Give us the office if you hear anything. If we'rerushed, and have to make a quick get-away, see that Mary has thefirst chance. Get that, all of you?"As Chicago Red took up his appointed station, Garson turned toDick.

　　"Make it quick, remember."He touched the other two and moved back to the wall by thefireplace, as far as possible from the husband and wife by thecouch.

　　Dick spoke at once, with a hesitancy that betrayed the depth ofhis emotion.

　　"Don't you care for me at all?" he asked wistfully.

　　The girl's answer was uttered with nervous eagerness whichrevealed her own stress of fear.

　　"No, no, no!" she exclaimed, rebelliously.

　　Now, however, the young man had regained some measure ofreassurance.

　　"I know you do, Mary," he asserted, confidently; "a little,anyway. Why, Mary," he went on reproachfully, "can't you seethat you're throwing away everything that makes life worth while?

　　Don't you see that?"There was no word from the girl. Her breast was movingconvulsively. She held her face steadfastly averted from theface of her husband.

　　"Why don't you answer me?" he insisted.

　　Mary's reply came with all the coldness she could command.

　　"That was not in the bargain," Mary said, indifferently.

　　The man's voice grew tenderly winning, persuasive with thelonging of a lover, persuasive with the pity of the righteous forthe sinner.

　　"Mary, Mary!" he cried. "You've got to change. Don't be so hard.

　　Give the woman in you a chance."The girl's form became rigid as she fought for self-control. Theplea touched to the bottom of her heart, but she could not, wouldnot yield. Her words rushed forth with a bitterness that was thecover of her distress.

　　"I am what I am," she said sharply. "I can't change. Keep yourpromise, now, and let's get out of this."Her assertion was disregarded as to the inability to change.

　　"You can change," Dick went on impetuously. "Mary, haven't youever wanted the things that other women have, shelter, and care,and the big things of life, the things worth while? They're allready for you, now, Mary.... And what about me?" Reproach leapedin his tone. "After all, you've married me. Now it's up to youto give me my chance to make good. I've never amounted to much.

　　I've never tried much. I shall, now, if you will have it so,Mary; if you'll help me. I will come out all right, I knowthat--so do you, Mary. Only, you mus............