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Garson stared mutely at the burly man in uniform who held their destinies in the hollow of a hand。 His lips parted as if he were about to speak。 Then； he bade defiance to the impulse。 He deemed it safer for all that he should say nothingnow！。。。 And it is very easy to say a word too many。 And that one may be a word never to be unsaidor gainsaid。
Then； while still that curious； dynamic silence endured； Cassidy came briskly into the office。 By some magic of duty； he had contrived to give his usually hebetudinous features an expression of enthusiasm。
〃Say； Chief；〃 the detective said rapidly； 〃they've squealed！〃
Burke regarded his aide with an air intolerably triumphant。 His voice came smug：
〃Squealed； eh？〃 His glance ran over Garson for a second； then made its inquisition of Mary and of Dick Gilder。 He did not give a look to Cassidy as he put his question。 〃Do they tell the same story？〃 And then； when the detective had answered in the affirmative； he went on speaking in tones ponderous with self…complacency； and； now； his eyes held sharply； craftily； on the woman。
〃I was right then； after allright； all the time！ Good enough！〃 Of a sudden； his voice boomed somberly。 〃Mary Turner； I want you for the murder of〃
Garson's rush halted the sentence。 He had leaped forward。 His face was rigid。 He broke on the Inspector's words with a gesture of fury。 His voice came in a hiss：
〃That's a damned lie！。。。 I did it！〃
CHAPTER XXIV。 ANGUISH AND BLISS。
Joe Garson had shouted his confession without a second of reflection。 But the result must have been the same had he taken years of thought。 Between him and her as the victim of the law； there could be no hesitation for choice。 Indeed； just now； he had no heed to his own fate。 The prime necessity was to save her； Mary； from the toils of the law that were closing around her。 For himself； in the days to come； there would be a ghastly dread； but there would never be regret over the cost of saving her。 Perhaps； some other he might have let suffer in his steadnot her！ Even； had he been innocent； and she guilty of the crime； he would still have taken the burden of it on his own shoulders。 He had saved her from the watershe would save her until the end； as far as the power in him might lie。 It was thus that； with the primitive directness of his reverential love for the girl； he counted no sacrifice too great in her behalf。 Joe Garson was not a good man； at the world esteems goodness。 On the contrary； he was distinctly an evil one； a menace to the society on which he preyed constantly。 But his good qualities； if few； were of the strongest fiber； rooted in the deeps of him。 He loathed treachery。 His one guiltiness in this respect had been； curiously enough； toward Mary herself； in the scheme of the burglary； which she had forbidden。 But； in the last analysis； here his deceit had been designed to bring affluence to her。 It was his abhorrence of treachery among pals that had driven him to the murder of the stool…pigeon in a fit of ungovernable passion。 He might have stayed his hand then； but for the gusty rage that swept him on to the crime。 None the less； had he spared the man； his hatred of the betrayer would have been the same。。。。 And the other virtue of Joe Garson was the complement of thishis own loyalty； a loyalty that made him forget self utterly where he loved。 The one woman who had ever filled his heart was Mary； and for her his life were not too much to give。
The suddenness of it all held Mary voiceless for long seconds。 She was frozen with horror of the event。
When； at last； words came； they were a frantic prayer of protest。
〃No； Joe！ No！ Don't talkdon't talk！〃
Burke； immensely gratified； went nimbly to his chair； and thence surveyed the agitated group with grisly pleasure。
〃Joe has talked；〃 he said； significantly。
Mary； shaken as she was by the fact of Garson's confession； nevertheless retained her presence of mind sufficiently to resist with all her strength。
〃He did it to protect me；〃 she stated； earnestly。
The Inspector disdained such futile argument。 As the doorman appeared in answer to the buzzer； he directed that the stenographer be summoned at once。
〃We'll have the confession in due form；〃 he remarked； gazing pleasedly on the three before him。
〃He's not going to confess；〃 Mary insisted； with spirit。
But Burke was not in the least impressed。 He disregarded her completely； and spoke mechanically to Garson the formal warning required by the law。
〃You are hereby cautioned that anything you say may be used against you。〃 Then； as the stenographer entered； he went on with lively interest。 〃Now； Joe！〃
Yet once again； Mary protested； a little wildly。
〃Don't speak； Joe！ Don't say a word till we can get a lawyer for you！〃
The man met her pleading eyes steadily； and shook his head in refusal。
〃It's no use； my girl；〃 Burke broke in； harshly。 〃I told you I'd get you。 I'm going to try you and Garson； and the whole gang for murderyes； every one of you。。。。 And you； Gilder；〃 he continued； lowering on the young man who had defied him so obstinately； 〃you'll go to the House of Detention as a material witness。〃 He turned his gaze to Garson again； and spoke authoritatively： 〃Come on now； Joe！〃
Garson went a step toward the desk； and spoke decisively。
〃If I come through； you'll let her goand him？〃 he added as an afterthought； with a nod toward Dick Gilder。
〃Oh； Joe； don't！〃 Mary cried； bitterly。 〃We'll spend every dollar we can raise to save you！〃
〃Now； it's no use；〃 the Inspector complained。 〃You're only wasting time。 He's said that he did it。 That's all there is to it。 Now that we're sure he's our man； he hasn't got a chance in the world。〃
〃Well； how about it？〃 Garson demanded； savagely。 〃Do they go clear； if I come through？〃
〃We'll get the best lawyers in the country；〃 Mary persisted； desperately。 〃We'll save you； Joewe'll save you！〃
Garson regarded the distraught girl with wistful eyes。 But there was no trace of yielding in his voice as he replied； though he spoke very sorrowfully。
〃No； you can't help me；〃 he said； simply。 〃My time has come； Mary。。。。 And I can save you a lot of trouble。〃
〃He's right there；〃 Burke ejaculated。 〃We've got him cold。 So； what's the use of dragging you two into it？〃
〃Then； they go clear？〃 Garson exclaimed； eagerly。 〃They ain't even to be called as witnesses？〃
Burke nodded assent。
〃You're on！〃 he agreed。
〃Then； here goes！〃 Garson cried； and he looked expectantly toward the stenographer。
The strain of it all was sapping the will of the girl； who saw the man she so greatly esteemed for his service to her and his devotion about to condemn himself to death。 She grew half…hysterical。 Her words came confusedly：
〃No； Joe！ No； no； no！〃
Again； Garson shook his head in absolute refusal of her plea。
〃There's no other way out；〃 he declared； wearily。 〃I'm going through with it。〃 He straightened a little； and again looked at the stenographer。 His voice came quietly； without any tremulousnesss。
〃My name is Joe Garson。〃
〃Alias？〃 Burke suggested。
〃Alias nothing！〃 came the sharp retort。 〃Garson's my monaker。 I shot English Eddie； because he was a skunk； and a stool…pigeon； and he got just what was coming to him。〃 Vituperation beyond the mere words beat in his voice now。
Burke twisted uneasily in his chair。
〃Now； now！〃 he objected； severely。 〃We can't take a confession like that。〃
Garson shook his headspoke with fiercer hatred。 〃because he was a skunk； and a stool…pigeon；〃 he repeated。 〃Have you got it？〃 And then； as the stenographer nodded assent； he went on； less violently： 〃I croaked him just as he was going to call the bulls with a police…whistle。 I used a gun with smokeless powder。 It had a Maxim silencer on it； so that it didn't make any noise。〃
Garson paused； and the set despair of his features lightened a little。 Into his voice came a tone of exultation indescribably ghastly。 It was born of the eternal egotism of the criminal； fattening vanity in gloating over his ingenuity for evil。 Garson； despite his two great virtues； had the vices of his class。 Now； he stared at Burke with a quizzical grin crooking his lips。
〃Say；〃 he exclaimed； 〃I'll bet it's the first time a guy was ever croaked with one of them things！ Ain't it？〃
The Inspector nodded affirmation。 There was sincere admiration in his expression； for he was ready at all times to respect the personal abilities of the criminals against whom he waged relentless war。
〃That's right； Joe！〃 he said； with perceptible enthusiasm。
〃Some class to that； eh？〃 Garson demanded； still with that gruesome air of boasting。 〃I got the gun； and the Maxim…silencer thing； off a fence in Boston；〃 he explained。 〃Say； that thing cost me sixty dollars； and it's worth every cent of the money。。。。 Why； they'll remember me as the first to spring one of them things； won't they？〃
〃They sure will； Joe！〃 the Inspector conceded。
〃Nobody knew I had it；〃 Garson continued； dropping his braggart manner abruptly。
At the words； Mary started； and her lips moved as if she were about to speak。
Garson； intent on her always； though he seemed t