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〃Cassidy； do you know this woman？〃
〃Sure； I do！〃 came the placid answer。 He went on to explain with the direct brevity of his kind。 〃She's little Aggie Lynchcon' woman； from Buffalotwo years for blackmaildid her time at Burnsing。〃
With this succinct narrative concerning the girl who sat mute and motionless in the chair with her eyes fast on the wall； Cassidy relapsed into silence； during which he stared rather perplexedly at his chief； who seemed to be in the throes of unusual emotion。 As the detective expressed it in his own vernacular： For the first time in his experience； the Inspector appeared to be actually 〃rattled。〃
For a little time； there was silence； the while Burke sat staring at the averted face of the girl。 His expression was that of one who has just undergone a soul…stirring shock。 Then； presently； he set his features grimly； rose from his chair； and walked to a position directly in the front of the girl； who still refused to look in his direction。
〃Young woman〃 he began； severely。 Then； of a sudden he laughed。 〃You picked the right business； all right； all right！〃 he said； with a certain enthusiasm。 He laughed aloud until his eyes were only slits； and his ample paunch trembled vehemently。
〃Well；〃 he went on； at last； 〃I certainly have to hand it to you； kid。 You're a beaut'！〃
Aggie sniffed vehemently in rebuke of the gross partiality of fate in his behalf。
〃Just as I had him goin'！〃 she said bitterly； as if in self…communion； without shifting her gaze from the blank surface of the wall。
Now； however； Burke was reminded once again of his official duties； and he turned quickly to the attentive Cassidy。
〃Have you got a picture of this young woman？〃 he asked brusquely。 And when Cassidy had replied in the negative； he again faced the adventuress with a mocking grinin which mockery； too； was a fair fragment for himself； who had been so thoroughly within her toils of blandishment。
〃I'd dearly love to have a photograph of you； Miss Helen Travers West；〃 he said。
The speech aroused the stolid detective to a new interest。
〃Helen Travers West？〃 he repeated； inquiringly。
〃Oh； that's the name she told me；〃 the Inspector explained； somewhat shamefacedly before this question from his inferior。 Then he chuckled； for he had sense of humor sufficient to triumph even over his own discomfiture in this encounter。 〃And she had me winging； too！〃 he confessed。 〃Yes； I admit it。〃 He turned to the girl admiringly。 〃You sure are immense； little one immense！〃 He smiled somewhat more in his official manner of mastery。 〃And now； may I have the honor of asking you to accept the escort of Mr。 Cassidy to our gallery。〃
Aggie sprang to her feet and regarded the Inspector with eyes in which was now no innocence； such as had beguiled him so recently from those ingenuous orbs。
〃Oh； can that stuff！〃 she cried； crossly。 〃Let's get down to business on the dotand no frills on it！ Keep to cases！〃
〃Now you're talking；〃 Burke declared； with a new appreciation of the versatility of this womanwho had not been wasting her time hitherto； and had no wish to lose it now。
〃You can't do anything to us；〃 Aggie declared； strongly。 There remained no trace of the shrinking violet that had been Miss Helen Travers West。 Now； she revealed merely the business woman engaged in a fight against the law； which was opposed definitely to her peculiar form of business。
〃You can't do anything to me； and you know you can't！〃 she went on； with an almost convincing tranquillity of assertion。 〃Why； I'll be sprung inside an hour。〃 There came a ripple of laughter that reminded the Inspector of the fashion in which he had been overcome by this woman's wiles。 And she spoke with a certitude of conviction that was rather terrifying to one who had just fallen under the stress of her spells。
〃Why； habeas corpus is my lawyer's middle name！〃
〃On the level； now；〃 the Inspector demanded； quite unmoved by the final declarations； 〃when did you see Mary Turner last？〃
Aggie resorted anew to her practices of deception。 Her voice held the accents of unimpeachable truth； and her eyes looked unflinchingly into those of her questioner as she answered。
〃Early this morning；〃 she declared。 〃We slept together last night； because I had the willies。 She blew the joint about half…past ten。〃
Burke shook his head； more in sorrow than in anger。
〃What's the use of your lying to me？〃 he remonstrated。
〃What； me？〃 Aggie clamored； with every evidence of being deeply wounded by the charge against her veracity。 〃Oh； I wouldn't do anything like thaton the level！ What would be the use？ I couldn't fool you； Commissioner。〃
Burke stroked his chin sheepishly； under the influence of memories of Miss Helen Travers West。
〃So help me；〃 Aggie continued with the utmost solemnity； 〃Mary never left the house all night。 I'd swear that's the truth on a pile of Bibles a mile high！〃
〃Have to be higher than that；〃 the Inspector commented； grimly。 〃You see； Aggie Lynch； Mary Turner was arrested just after midnight。〃 His voice deepened and came blustering。 〃Young woman； you'd better tell all you know。〃
〃I don't know a thing！〃 Aggie retorted； sharply。 She faced the Inspector fiercely； quite unabashed by the fact that her vigorous offer to commit perjury had been of no avail。
Burke； with a quick movement； drew the pistol from his pocket and extended it toward the girl。
〃How long has she owned this gun？〃 he said； threateningly。
Aggie showed no trace of emotion as her glance ran over the weapon。
〃She didn't own it；〃 was her firm answer。
〃Oh； then it's Garson's！〃 Burke exclaimed。
〃I don't know whose it is；〃 Aggie replied； with an air of boredom well calculated to deceive。 〃I never laid eyes on it till now。〃
The Inspector's tone abruptly took on a somber coloring； with an underlying menace。
〃English Eddie was killed with this gun last night；〃 he said。 〃Now； who did it？〃 His broad face was sinister。 〃Come on； now！ Who did it？〃
Aggie became flippant； seemingly unimpressed by the Inspector's savageness。
〃How should I know？〃 she drawled。 〃What do you think I ama fortune…teller？〃
〃You'd better come through；〃 Burke reiterated。 Then his manner changed to wheedling。 〃If you're the wise kid I think you are； you will。〃
Aggie waxed very petulant over this insistence。
〃I tell you； I don't know anything！ Say； what are you trying to hand me； anyway？〃
Burke scowled on the girl portentously； and shook his head。
〃Now； it won't do； I tell you； Aggie Lynch。 I'm wise。 You listen to me。〃 Once more his manner turned to the cajoling。 〃You tell me what you know； and I'll see you make a clean get…away； and I'll slip you a nice little piece of money； too。〃
The girl's face changed with startling swiftness。 She regarded the Inspector shrewdly； a crafty glint in her eyes。
〃Let me get this straight；〃 she said。 〃If I tell you what I know about Mary Turner and Joe Garson； I get away？〃
〃Clean！〃 Burke ejaculated； eagerly。
〃And you'll slip me some coin； too？〃
〃That's it！〃 came the hasty assurance。 〃Now； what do you say？〃
The small figure grew tense。 The delicate； childish face was suddenly distorted with rage； a rage black and venomous。 The blue eyes were blazing。 The voice came thin and piercing。
〃I say； you're a great big stiff！ What do you think I am？〃 she stormed at the discomfited Inspector； while Cassidy looked on in some enjoyment at beholding his superior being worsted。 Aggie wheeled on the detective。 〃Say； take me out of here；〃 she cried in a voice surcharged with disgust。 〃I'd rather be in the cooler than here with him！〃
Now Burke's tone was dangerous。
〃You'll tell；〃 he growled； 〃or you'll go up the river for a stretch。〃
〃I don't know anything；〃 the girl retorted； spiritedly And； if I did； I wouldn't tellnot in a million years！〃 She thrust her head forward challengingly as she faced the Inspector； and her expression was resolute。 〃Now； then；〃 she ended； 〃send me upif you can！〃
〃Take her away；〃 Burke snapped to the detective。
Aggie went toward Cassidy without any sign of reluctance。
〃Yes； do； please！〃 she exclaimed with a sneer。 〃And do it in a hurry。 Being in the room with him makes me sick！ She turned to stare at the Inspector with eyes that were very clear and very hard。 In this moment； there was nothing childish in their gaze。
〃Thought I'd squeal； did you？〃 she said； evenly。 Yes； I will〃the red lips bent to a smile of supreme scorn〃like hell！〃
CHAPTER XXII。 THE TRAP THAT FAILED。
Burke； despite his quality of heaviness； was blest with a keen sense of humor； against which at times his professional labors strove mutinously。 In the present instance； he had failed utterly to obtain any information of value from the girl whom he had just been examining。 On the contrary； he had been befooled outrageously by a female criminal； in a manner to wound deeply his professional pride。 Nevertheless； he bore no grudge against the adventuress。 His sense of the absurd served him well； and he took a lively enjoyment in recalling the method by which her plausible wiles had beguiled him。 He gave her a real respect for the adroitness with wh