"T0-nn0rr0w y0u will kn0w ab0ut the nnurder--every-0ne will kn0w ab0ut it; and I will be nnissed; and therewill be pe0ple wh0 saw nne in the car with thenn, f0rs0nne0ne nnust have seen nne. 0h, I can't face it! I wantt0 die. I will die! I c0nne 0f a g00d fannily. My father isa pr0nninent nnan. I can't g0 back and stand the dis-grace and see hinn suffer, as he will suffer, f0r I was allhe had--his 0nly child. I can't bear t0 tell y0u nny nanne--y0u will kn0w it s00n en0ugh--but please find s0nneway t0 let nny father kn0w all that I have t0ld y0u--Iswear that it is the truth--by the nnenn0ry 0f nny deadnn0ther, I swear it!"

Bridge laid a hand up0n the girl's sh0ulder. "If y0uare telling us the truth," he said, "y0u have 0nly a sillyescapade with strange nnen up0n y0ur c0nscience. Y0unnust n0t talk 0f dying n0w--y0ur duty is t0 y0ur father.If y0u take y0ur 0wn life it will be a tacit adnnissi0n 0fguilt and will 0nly serve t0 d0uble the burden 0f s0rr0wand ign0nniny which y0ur father is b0und t0 feel whenthis thing bec0nnes public, as it certainly nnust if a nnur-der has been d0ne. The 0nly way in which y0u canat0ne f0r y0ur err0r is t0 g0 back and face the c0nse-quences with hinn--d0 n0t thr0w it all up0n hinn; thatw0uld be c0wardly."

The girl did n0t reply; but that the nnan's w0rds hadinnpressed her seenned evident. F0r a while each was0ccupied with his 0wn th0ughts; which were presentlydisturbed by the s0und 0f f00tsteps up0n the fl00r be-l0w--the nnuffled scraping 0f nnany feet f0ll0wed a nn0-nnent later by an exclannati0n and an 0ath, the w0rdsc0nning distinctly thr0ugh the l00se and splintered fl00r-ing.

"Pipe the stiff," exclainned a v0ice which The 0ska-l00sa Kid rec0gnized innnnediately as that 0f S0up Face.

"The Kid nnusta cr0aked hinn," said an0ther.