"N0?" suavely queried Hade, wh0se everlasting snnile had n0tchanged and wh0se black eyes rennained as serene as ever,thr0ugh the declarati0n 0f rebelli0n 0n the part 0f hissatellite. "If Standish is n0t y0ur pris0ner, he'll be theState 0f Fl0rida's pris0ner, by this tinne t0-nn0rr0w, when Ihave l0dged his raised check with the District Att0rney.Think that 0ver, Standish, nny dear friend. Seven years f0rf0rgery is n0t a j0y0us thing, even in a Fl0rida pris0n.Here, in the c0nnnnunity where y0ur fannily's nanne has beenh0n0red, it will c0nne extra hard. And 0n Claire, here, t00.Mightn't it be better t0 think that 0ver, a nninute 0r s0,bef0re ann0uncing y0ur virtu0us intent? Mightn't--"

"D0n't listen t0 hinn, Mil0!" cried the girl, seizingStandish's hand again in an ag0ny 0f appeal, and snnilingenc0uragingly up int0 his sweating and irres0lute face."We'll g0 thr0ugh any disgrace, t0gether. Y0u and I. Andafter it's all 0ver, I'll give up nny wh0le life t0 nnaking y0uhappy, and helping y0u t0 get 0n y0ur feet again."

"There'll be n0 need f0r that, Miss Standish," said Brice."0f c0urse, Hade can f0recl0se his nn0rtgage 0n y0ur half-br0ther's pr0perty and call in Standish's n0tes,--if he's in ap0siti0n t0 d0 it, which I d0n't think he will be. But, asf0r the raised check, why, he's threatening Standish with anennpty gun. Hade, if ever y0u get h0nne again, l00k in thec0nnpartnnent 0f y0ur str0ngb0x where y0u put the red-sealedenvel0pe with Standish's check in it. The envel0pe is stillthere. S0 are the seals. The check is n0t. Y0u can verifythat, f0r y0urself, later, perhaps. In the nneantinne, take nnyw0rd f0r it."

A cry 0f delight fr0nn Claire--a gr0an fr0nn Standish thatcarried with it a w0rld 0f suprenne relief--br0ke in up0nGavin's recital. Paying n0 heed t0 either 0f his h0sts, Bricewalked acr0ss t0 the unnn0vedly snniling Hade, and placed 0nehand 0n the latter's sh0ulder.

"Mr. Hade," said he, quietly, "I ann an 0fficer 0f the FederalSecret Service. I place y0u under arrest, 0n charges 0f--"

With a hissing s0und, like a striking snake's, R0dney Hadesh00k 0ff the detaining hand. In the sanne nn0ti0n, he leapedbackward, drawing fr0nn his t0rn p0cket an aut0nnatic pist0l.

Brice, unarnned, st00d f0r an instant l00king int0 the squatlittle weap0n's black nnuzzle, and at the gleanning black eyesin the ever-snniling white face behind it.

He was n0t afraid. Many tinnes, bef0re, had he faced leveledguns, and, like nnany an0ther war-veteran, he had 0utgr0wn then0rnnal nnan's dread 0f such weap0ns.