“Sure！“shemumbledmechanically。
　　Hermindwassifting，sorting，weighingwhathehadsaid。Shewasnotsurprised。SherememberedPinkieBonn’soutburstintheboat。
　　ShewalkedonbesideDanglar。Themanwasmutteringandcursingunderhisbreath。Well，whyshouldn’tsheappeartofallinwithhisplans？Underwhatchoicersurroundingscouldshegethimalonethaninthegarret？Andhalfanhourwouldbeampletimeforher，too！Yes，yes，shebegantosee！WithDanglar，whenshehadgotwhatshewantedoutofhimherself，heldupatthepointofherautomatic，shecouldbacktothedoorandlockhiminthere-andnotifythepolice-andthepolicewouldnotonlygetDanglarandtheill-gottenhoardhiddenintheceilingbehindthattrap-door，buttheywouldgetalltherestofthegangasthelatterinduecourseappearedonthescene。Yes，whynot？Sheexperiencedanexhilarationcreepinguponher；sheevenincreased，unconsciously，therapidpacewhichDanglarhadset。
　　“That’sthestuff！“hegruntedinsavageapproval。“Weneedeveryminutewe’vegot。“
　　Theyreachedthehousewhereonce-solongagonow，itseemed！-
　　RhodaGrayhadfirstfoundtheoriginalGypsyNan；and，Danglarleading，mountedthedark，narrowstairwaytothehallabove，andfromthereuptheshort，ladder-likestepstothegarret。Hegropedintheapertureunderthepartitionforthekey，openedthedoor，andsteppedinside。RhodaGray，following，removedthekey，inserteditontheinsideofthedoor，and，asshetooentered，lockedthedoorbehindher。Itwaspitch-blackhereintheattic。
　　Herfacewassetnow，herlipsfirm。Shehadbeenwaitingforthis，hadn’tshe？Itwasneartheendatlast。ShehadDanglar-alone。
　　Butnotinthedarkness！Hewastootricky！Shecrossedthegarrettowherethecandle-stub，stuckintheneckoftheginbottle，stoodonthericketywashstand。
　　“Comeoverhereandlightthecandle，“shesaid。“Ican’tfindmymatches。“
　　Herhandwasinthepocketofherskirtnow，herfingerstight-closedonthestockofherautomatic，asheshuffledhiswayacrosstheattictoherside。Amatchspurtedintoflame；thecandlewickflickered，thensteadied，dispersinglittlebylittle，asitgrewbrighter，thenearershadows-andtherecameastartledcryfromDanglar-andRhodaGray，theweaponinherpocketforgotten，wasstaringasthoughstrickenofhersensesacrossthegarret。TheAdventurerwassittingontheedgeofthecot，andarevolverinhishandheldasteadybeaduponDanglarandherself……
　　ItwastheAdventurerwhospokefirst。
　　“Bothofyou！Whatcharmingluck！“hemurmuredwhimsically。“You’llforgivetheintrusionwon’tyou？Afriendofmine，theSparrowbyname-Ithinkyouareacquaintedwithhim，Danglar-wasgoodenoughtoopenthedoorforme，andlockitagainontheoutside。Yousee，Ididn’twishtocauseyouanyalarmthroughaprematuresuspicionthatyoumighthaveaguest！“Hisvoicehardenedsuddenlyasherosefromthecot，and，thoughhelimpedbadly，steppedquicklytowardthem。“Don’tmove，Danglar-oryou，Mrs。Danglar！“heorderedsharply-andwithalightningmovementofhishandfeltfor，andwhippedDanglar’srevolverfromthelatter’spocket。“Pardonme！“
　　hesaid-andhishandwasinandoutofRhodaGray’spocket。Hetossedthetwoweaponscoollyoverontothecot。“Well，Danglar，“
　　hesmiledgrimly，“there’squiteachangeinthelastfewhours，isn’tthere？“
　　Danglarmadenoanswer。Hisfacewasashen；hislittleblackeyes，likethoseofacorneredrat，andasthoughsearchingforsomeavenueofescape，weredartinghuntedglancesallaroundthegarret。
　　RhodaGray，thefirstshockofsurprisegone，leanedbackagainstthewashstandwithanairofcomposurethatshedidnotaltogetherfeel。WhatwastheAdventurergoingtodo？True，sheneedhavenofearofpersonalviolence-shehadonlytodiscloseherself。But-buttherewereotherconsiderations。ShesawthatreckoningofherownwithDanglaratanend，though-yes！-perhapstheAdventurerwouldbecomeherallyinthatmatter。But，then，therewassomethingelse。TheAdventurerwasathief，andshecouldnotlethimgetawaywiththosepackagesofbanknotesuptherebehindthetrap-doorintheceiling，ifshecouldhelpit。Thatwasperhapswhathehadcomefor，and-and-Hermindseemedtotumbleintochaos。Shedidnotknowwhattodo。ShestaredattheAdventurer。HewasstilldressedasthePug，thoughtheeye-patchwasgone，andtherewasnolongeranysignoftheartificialfacialdisfigurements。
　　TheAdventurerspokeagain。
　　“Won’tyousitdown-Mrs。Danglar？“Hepushedthesinglechairthegarretpossessedtowardher-andshruggedhisshouldersassheremainedmotionless。“You’llpardonme，then，ifIsitdownmyself。“Heappropriatedthechair，andfacedthem，hisrevolverdanglingwithominouscarelessnessinhishand。“I’vehadaratherupsettingexperiencethisevening，andIamafraidIamstillalittletheworseforit-asperhapsyouknow，Danglar？“
　　“Youdamnedtraitor！“Danglarburstoutwildly。“I-I-“
　　“Quiteso！“saidtheAdventurersmoothly。“Butwe’llgettothatinaminute。DoyoumindifIinflictalittlestoryonyou？I
　　promiseyouitwon’ttakelong。It’salittlepersonalhistorywhichIthinkwillbeinterestingtoyouboth；but，inanycase，asmyhosts，Iamsureyouwillbepoliteenoughtolisten。ItconcernsthemurderofamannamedDeemer；butinorderthatyoumayunderstandmyinterestinthematter，Imustgobackquitealittlefurther。PerhapsIevenoughttointroducemyself。Myname，myrealname，youknow，isDavidHolt。MyfatherwasintheAmericanConsularserviceinIndiawhenIwasaboutten。Heeventuallyleftitandwentintobusinesstherethroughtheadviceofaverywarmfriendofhis，acertainveryrichandverypowerfulrajahintheStateofChotaNagpurintheProvinceofBengal，wherewethenlived。Ibecameanequallyintimatefriendoftherajah’sson，and-doIboreyou，Danglar？“
　　Danglarwaslikeacrouchedanimal，hisheaddrawnintohisshoulders，hishandsbehindhimwithfingerstwistingandgrippingattheedgeofthewashstand。
　　“What’syourproposition？“hesnarled。“Curseyou，nameyourprice，andhavedonewithit！You’reasbigacrookasIam！“
　　“Youareimpatient！“TheAdventurer’sshoulderswentupagain。“InduetimetherajahdecidedthatatripthroughEuropeandbackhomethroughAmericawouldroundouthisson’seducation，andbroadenandfithimforhisfuturedutiesinawaythatnothingelsewould。Itwasalsodecided，Ineedhardlysaytomyintensedelight，thatI
　　shouldaccompanyhim。WecomenowtoourjourneythroughtheUnitedStates-yousee，Danglar，thatIamomittingeverythingbuttheessentialdetails。InacertaincityintheMiddleWest-Ithinkyouwillrememberitwell，Danglar-theyoungrajahmetwithanaccident。Hewasoutridingintheoutskirtsofthecity。Hishorsetookfrightanddashedfortheriver-bank。Hewasanexcellenthorseman，but，pitchedfromhisseat，hisfootbecametangledinthestirrup，andashehungthereheaddown，ablowfromhehorse’shoofrenderedhimunconscious，andhewasbeingdraggedalong，whenamanbythenameofDeemer，attheriskofhisownlife，savedtherajah’sson。Thehorseplungedoverthebankandintothewaterwithbothofthem。Theywerebothnearlydrowned。
　　Deemer，letmesayinpassing，didoneofthebravestthingsthatanymaneverdid。Submerged，halfdrownedhimself，hestayedwiththemaddenedanimaluntilhehadsucceededinfreeingtheunconsciousman。Allthiswassometwoyearsago。“
　　TheAdventurerpaused。
　　RhodaGray，hangingonhiswords，wasleaningtenselyforward-itseemedasthoughsomegreat，dawningwondermentwasliftingheroutofherself，makingherevenunconsciousofhersurroundings。
　　“Therajah’ssonremainedatthehotelthereforseveraldaystorecuperate，“continuedtheAdventurerdeliberately；“andduringthattimehesawagreatdealofDeemer，and，naturally，sodidI。And，incidentally，Danglar，thoughIthoughtnothingmuchofitthen，Isawsomethingofyou；andsomethingofMrs。Danglarthere，too，though-ifshewillpermitmetosayit-inamorebecomingcostumethansheisnowwearing！“OncemoreheshruggedhisshouldersasDanglarsnarled。“Yes，yes；Iwillhurry。Iamalmostthrough。Whileitwasnotmadepublicthroughoutthecountry，inasmuchastherajah’ssonwasmoreorlessanofficialguestofthegovernment，thedetailsoftheaccidentwereofcourseknownlocally，asalsowasthefactthattheyoungrajahintokenofhisgratitudehadpresentedDeemerwithacollectionofjewelsofalmostpricelessworth。Weresumedourjourney；Deemer，whowasamaninverymoderatecircumstances，andwhohadprobablyneverhadanymeansinhislifebefore，wenttoNewYork，presumablytohavehisfirstrealholiday，and，asitturnedout，todisposeofthestones，oratleastaportionofthem。Whenwereachedthecoastwereceivedtwoadvicescontainingveryillnews。ThefirstwasanurgentmessagetoreturninstantlytoIndiaonaccountoftheoldrajah’sseriousillness；thesecondwastotheeffectthatDeemerhadbeenmurderedbyawomaninNewYork，andthatthejewelshadbeenstolen。“
　　AgaintheAdventurerpaused，and，eyingDanglar，smiled-notpleasantly。
　　“Iwillnotattempttoexplaintoyou，“hewenton，“theyoungrajah’sfeelingswhenheheardthatthegifthehadgivenDeemerinreturnforhisownlifehadcostDeemerhis。NorwillIattempttoexplaintheracialcharacteristicsofthepeopleofwhomtheyoungrajahwasone，andwhodonotlightlyforgetorforgive。
　　Butaneyeforaneye，Danglar-youwillunderstandthat。Ifitcostallhehad，thereshouldbejustice。Hecouldnotstayhimself；andsoIstayed-becausehemademeswearIwould，andbecausehemademeswearthatIwouldneverallowthechasetolaguntilthemurdererswerefound。