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Burke seized on her lapse with avidity。
〃What did he tell you？〃 he questioned； eagerly。
Now； Mary had regained her self…command； and she spoke calmly。
〃He told me；〃 she said； without a particle of hesitation； 〃that he had never seen one。 Surely； if he had had anything of the sort； he would have shown it to me then。〃
〃Probably he did； too！〃 Burke rejoined； without the least suspicion that his surly utterance touched the truth exactly。 〃Now； see here；〃 he went on； trying to make his voice affable； though with small success； for he was excessively irritated by these repeated failures； 〃I can make it a lot easier for you if you'll talk。 Come on； now！ Who killed Griggs？〃
Mary cast off pretense finally； and spoke malignantly。
〃That's for you to find out；〃 she said； sneering。
Burke pressed the button on the desk； and； when the doorman appeared； ordered that the prisoner be returned to her cell。
But Mary stood rebellious； and spoke with a resumption of her cynical scorn。
〃I suppose；〃 she said； with a glance of contempt toward Demarest； 〃that it's useless for me to claim my constitutional rights； and demand to see a lawyer？〃
Burke； too； had cast off pretense at last。
〃Yes；〃 he agreed； with an evil smirk； 〃you've guessed it right； the first time。〃
Mary spoke to the District Attorney。
〃I believe；〃 she said； with a new dignity of bearing； 〃that such is my constitutional right； is it not； Mr。 Demarest？〃
The lawyer sought no evasion of the issue。 For that matter； he was coming to have an increasing respect； even admiration； for this young woman； who endured insult and ignominy with a spirit so sturdy； and met strategem with other strategem better devised。 So； now； he made his answer with frank honesty。
〃It is your constitutional right； Miss Turner。〃
Mary turned her clear eyes on the Inspector； and awaited from that official a reply that was not forthcoming。 Truth to tell； Burke was far from comfortable under that survey。
〃Well； Inspector？〃 she inquired； at last。
Burke took refuge； as his wont was when too hard pressed； in a mighty bellow。
〃The Constitution don't go here！〃 It was the best he could do； and it shamed him； for he knew its weakness。 Again； wrath surged in him； and it surged high。 He welcomed the advent of Cassidy； who came hurrying in with a grin of satisfaction on his stolid face。
〃Say； Chief；〃 the detective said with animation； in response to Burke's glance of inquiry； 〃we've got Garson。〃
Mary's face fell； though the change of expression was almost imperceptible。 Only Demarest； a student of much experience； observed the fleeting display of repressed emotion。 When the Inspector took thought to look at her； she was as impassive as before。 Yet； he was minded to try another ruse in his desire to defeat the intelligence of this woman。 To this end； he asked Gilder and the District Attorney to withdraw； while he should have a private conversation with the prisoner。 As she listened to his request； Mary smiled again in sphinx…like fashion； and there was still on her lips an expression that caused the official a pang of doubt； when； at last； the two were left alone together； and he darted a surreptitious glance toward her。 Nevertheless； he pressed on his device valiantly。
〃Now；〃 he said； with a marked softening of manner； 〃I'm going to be your friend。〃
〃Are you？〃 Mary's tone was non…committal。
〃Yes；〃 Burke declared； heartily。 〃And I mean it！ Give up the truth about young Gilder。 I know he shot Griggs； of course。 But I'm not taking any stock in that burglar storynot a little bit！ No court would； either。 What was really back of the killing？〃 Burke's eyes narrowed cunningly。 〃Was he jealous of Griggs？ Well； that's what he might do then。 He's always been a worthless young cub。 A rotten deal like this would be about his gait； I guess。。。。 Tell me； now： Why did he shoot Eddie Griggs？〃
There was coarseness a…plenty in the Inspector's pretense； but it possessed a solitary fundamental virtue： it played on the heart of the woman whom he questioned； aroused it to wrath in defense of her mate。 In a second； all poise fled from this girl whose soul was blossoming in the blest realization that a man loved her purely； unselfishly。 Her words came stumblingly in their haste。 Her eyes were near to black in their anger。
〃He didn't kill him！ He didn't kill him！〃 she fairly hissed。 〃Why； he's the most wonderful man in the world。 You shan't hurt him！ Nobody shall hurt him！ I'll fight to the end of my life for Dick Gilder！〃
Burke was beaming joyously。 At lasta long last！ his finesse had won the victory over this woman's subtleties。
〃Well； that's just what I thought；〃 he said； with smug content。 〃And now； then； who did shoot Griggs？ We've got every one of the gang。 They're all crooks。 See here；〃 he went on； with a sudden change to the respectful in his manner； 〃why don't you start fresh？ I'll give you every chance in the world。 I'm dead on the level with you this time。〃
But he was too late。 By now； Mary had herself well in hand again； vastly ashamed of the short period of self…betrayal caused by the official's artifice against her heart。 As she listened to the Inspector's assurances； the mocking expression of her face was not encouraging to that astute individual； but he persevered manfully。
〃Just you wait；〃 he went on cheerfully； 〃and I'll prove to you that I'm on the level about this； that I'm really your friend。。。。 There was a letter came for you to your apartment。 My men brought it down to me。 I've read it。 Here it is。 I'll read it to you！〃
He picked up an envelope； which had been lying on the desk； and drew out the single sheet of paper it contained。 Mary watched him； wondering much more than her expression revealed over this new development。 Then； as she listened； quick interest touched her features to a new life。 In her eyes leaped emotions to make or mar a life。
This was the letter：
〃I can't go without telling you how sorry I am。 There won't never be a time that I won't remember it was me got you sent up； that you did time in my place。 I ain't going to forgive myself ever； and I swear I'm going straight always。 〃Your true friend； 〃HELEN MORRIS。〃
For once； Burke showed a certain delicacy。 When he had finished the reading； he said nothing for a long minuteonly； sat with his cunning eyes on the face of the woman who was immobile there before him。 And； as he looked on her in her slender elegance of form and gentlewomanly loveliness of face； a loveliness intelligent and refined beyond that of most women； he felt borne in on his consciousness the fact that here was one to be respected。 He fought against the impression。 It was to him preposterous； for she was one of that underworld against which he was ruthlessly at war。 Yet； he could not altogether overcome his instinct toward a half…reverent admiration。。。。 And； as the letter proved； she had been innocent at the outset。 She had been the victim of a mistaken justice； made outcast by the law she had never wronged。。。。 His mood of respect was inevitable； since he had some sensibilities； though they were coarsened； and they sensed vaguely the maelstrom of emotions that now swirled in the girl's breast。
To Mary Turner； this was the wonderful hour。 In it； the vindication of her innocence was made complete。 The story was there recorded in black and white on the page written by Helen Morris。 It mattered littleor infinitely much！that it came too late。 She had gained her evil place in the world； was a notorious woman in fact； was even now a prisoner under suspicion of murder。 Nevertheless； she felt a thrill of ecstasy over this written documentwhich it had never occurred to her to wrest from the girl at the time of the oral confession。 Now that it had been proffered； the value of it loomed above almost all things else in the world。 It proclaimed undeniably the wrong under which she had suffered。 She was not the thief the court had adjudged her。 Now； there's nobody here but just you and me。 Come on； nowput me wise！〃
Mary was again the resourceful woman who was glad to pit her brain against the contriving of those who fought her。 So； at this moment； she seemed pliant to the will of the man who urged her thus cunningly。 Her quick glance around the office was of a sort to delude the Inspector into a belief that she was yielding to his lure。
〃Are you sure no one will ever know？〃 she asked； timorously。
〃Nobody but you and me；〃 Burke declared； all agog with anticipation of victory at last。 〃I give you my word！〃
Mary met the gaze of the Inspector fully。 In the same instant； she flashed on him a smile that was dazzling； the smile of a woman triumphant in her mastery of the situation。 Her face was radiant； luminous with honest mirth。 There was something simple and genuine in her beauty that thrilled the man before her； the man trying so vindictively to trap her to her own undoing。 For all his grossness； Burke was of shrewd perceptions； and somewhere； half…submerged under the sordid nature of his calling； was a love of things esthetic； a responsiveness to the appeals of beauty。 Now； as his glance sear