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There was a little period of silence while the man； with the resolute face and the light gray eyes that shone so clearly underneath the thick； waving silver hair； held his head bent downward as if in intent thought。 When； finally； he spoke； there was a certain quality in his voice that caused Aggie to regard him curiously。
〃Mary has been with him a good deal lately；〃 he said； half questioningly。
〃That's what；〃 was the curt agreement。
Garson brought out his next query with the brutal bluntness of his kind； and yet there was a vague suggestion of tenderness in his tones under the vulgar words。
〃Think she's stuck on him？〃 He had seated himself on a settee opposite the girl； who did not trouble on his account to assume a posture more decorous； and he surveyed her keenly as he waited for a reply。
〃Why not？〃 Aggie retorted。 〃Bet your life I'd be； if I had a chance。 He's a swell boy。 And his father's got the coin； too。〃
At this the man moved impatiently； and his eyes wandered to the window。 Again； Aggie studied him with a swift glance of interrogation。 Not being the possessor of an over…nice sensibility as to the feelings of others； she now spoke briskly。
〃Joe； if there's anything on your mind； shoot it。〃
Garson hesitated for a moment； then decided to unburden himself； for he craved precise knowledge in this matter。
〃It's Mary；〃 he explained； with some embarrassment； 〃her and young Gilder。〃
〃Well？〃 came the crisp question。
〃Well； somehow；〃 Garson went on； still somewhat confusedly； 〃I can't see any good of it； for her。〃
〃Why？〃 Aggie demanded； in surprise。
Garson's manner grew easier； now that the subject was well broached。
〃Old man Gilder's got a big pull；〃 he vouchsafed； 〃and if he caught on to his boy's going with Mary； he'd be likely to send the police after usstrong！ Believe me； I ain't looking for any trip up the river。〃
Aggie shook her head； quite unaffected by the man's suggestion of possible peril in the situation。
〃We ain't done nothin' they can touch us for；〃 she declared； with assurance。 〃Mary says so。〃
Garson； however； was unconvinced； notwithstanding his deference to the judgment of his leader。
〃Whether we've done anything； or whether we haven't； don't matter；〃 he objected。 〃Once the police set out after you； they'll get you。 Russia ain't in it with some of the things I have seen pulled off in this town。〃
〃Oh； can that 'fraid talk！〃 Aggie exclaimed； roughly。 〃I tell you they can't get us。 We've got our fingers crossed。〃
She would have said more； but a noise at the hall door interrupted her； and she looked up to see a man in the opening； while behind him appeared the maid； protesting angrily。
〃Never mind that announcing thing with me；〃 the newcomer rasped to the expostulating servant； in a voice that suited well his thick…set figure； with the bullet…shaped head and the bull…like neck。 Then he turned to the two in the drawing…room； both of whom had now risen to their feet。
〃It's all right； Fannie；〃 Aggie said hastily to the flustered maid。 〃You can go。〃
As the servant； after an indignant toss of the head； departed along the passage； the visitor clumped heavily forward and stopped in the center of the room； looking first at one and then the other of the two with a smile that was not pleasant。 He was not at pains to remove the derby hat which he wore rather far back on his head。 By this single sign； one might have recognized Cassidy； who had had Mary Turner in his charge on the occasion of her ill…fated visit to Edward Gilder's office； four years before； though now the man had thickened somewhat； and his ruddy face was grown even coarser。
〃Hello； Joe！〃 he cried； familiarly。 〃Hello； Aggie！〃
The light…gray eyes of the forger had narrowed perceptibly as he recognized the identity of the unceremonious caller； while the lines of his firmly set mouth took on an added fixity。
〃Well？〃 he demanded。 His voice was emotionless。
〃Just a little friendly call；〃 Cassidy announced； in his strident voice。 〃Where's the lady of the house？〃
〃Out。〃 It was Aggie who spoke； very sharply。
〃Well； Joe；〃 Cassidy went on； without paying further heed to the girl for a moment； 〃when she comes back； just tell her it's up to her to make a get…away； and to make it quick。〃
But Aggie was not one to be ignored under any circumstances。 Now； she spoke with some acerbity in her voice； which could at will be wondrous soft and low。
〃Say！〃 she retorted viciously； 〃you can't throw any scare into us。 You hadn't got anything on us。 See？〃
Cassidy； in response to this outburst； favored the girl with a long stare； and there was hearty amusement in his tones as he answered。
〃Nothing on you； eh？ Well； well； let's see。〃 He regarded Garson with a grin。 〃You are Joe Garson； forger。〃 As he spoke； the detective took a note…book from a pocket； found a page； and then read： 〃First arrested in 1891； for forging the name of Edwin Goodsell to a check for ten thousand dollars。 Again arrested June 19； 1893； for forgery。 Arrested in April； 1898； for forging the signature of Oscar Hemmenway to a series of bonds that were counterfeit。 Arrested as the man back of the Reilly gang； in 1903。 Arrested in 1908 for forgery。〃
There was no change in the face or pose of the man who listened to the reading。 When it was done； and the officer looked up with a resumption of his triumphant grin； Garson spoke quietly。
〃Haven't any records of convictions； have you？〃
The grin died； and a snarl sprang in its stead。
〃No；〃 he snapped； vindictively。 〃But we've got the right dope on you； all right； Joe Garson。〃 He turned savagely on the girl； who now had regained her usual expression of demure innocence； but with her rather too heavy brows drawn a little lower than their wont； under the influence of an emotion otherwise concealed。
〃And you're little Aggie Lynch；〃 Cassidy declared； as he thrust the note…book back into his pocket。 〃Just now； you're posing as Mary Turner's cousin。 You served two years in Burnsing for blackmail。 You were arrested in Buffalo； convicted； and served your stretch。 Nothing on you？ Well； well！〃 Again there was triumph in the officer's chuckle。
Aggie showed no least sign of perturbation in the face of this revelation of her unsavory record。 Only an expression of half…incredulous wonder and delight beamed from her widely opened blue eyes and was emphasized in the rounding of the little mouth。
〃Why；〃 she cried； and now there was softness enough in the cooing notes； 〃my Gawd！ It looks as though you had actually been workin'！〃
The sarcasm was without effect on the dull sensibilities of the officer。 He went on speaking with obvious enjoyment of the extent to which his knowledge reached。
〃And the head of the gang is Mary Turner。 Arrested four years ago for robbing the Emporium。 Did her stretch of three years。〃
〃Is that all you've got about her？〃 Garson demanded； with such abruptness that Cassidy forgot his dignity sufficiently to answer with an unqualified yes。
The forger continued speaking rapidly； and now there was an undercurrent of feeling in his voice。
〃Nothing in your record of her about her coming out without a friend in the world； and trying to go straight？ You ain't got nothing in that pretty little book of your'n about your going to the millinery store where she finally got a job； and tipping them off to where she come from？〃
〃Sure； they was tipped off；〃 Cassidy answered； quite unmoved。 And he added； swelling visibly with importance： 〃We got to protect the city。〃
〃Got anything in that record of your'n；〃 Garson went on venomously； 〃about her getting another job； and your following her up again； and having her thrown out？ Got it there about the letter you had old Gilder write； so that his influence would get her canned？〃
〃Oh； we had her right the first time；〃 Cassidy admitted； complacently。
Then； the bitterness of Garson's soul was revealed by the fierceness in his voice as he replied。
〃You did not！ She was railroaded for a job she never done。 She went in honest； and she came out honest。〃
The detective indulged himself in a cackle of sneering merriment。
〃And that's why she's here now with a gang of crooks；〃 he retorted。
Garson met the implication fairly。
〃Where else should she be？〃 he demanded； violently。 〃You ain't got nothing in that record about my jumping into the river after her？〃 The forger's voice deepened and trembled with the intensity of his emotion； which was now grown so strong that any who listened and looked might guess something of the truth as to his feeling toward this woman of whom he spoke。 〃That's where I found hera girl that never done nobody any harm； starving because you police wouldn't give her a chance to work。 In the river because she wouldn't take the only other way that was left her to make a living； because she was keeping straight！。。。 Have you got any of that in your book？〃
Cassidy； who had been scowling in the face of this arraignment； suddenly gave vent to a croaking laugh of derision。
〃Huh！〃 he said； contemptuously。 〃I guess you're stuck on her； eh？〃
At the words； an instantaneous change swept over Garson。 Hitherto； he had been tense；