CRANE LEARNS THAT HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE LONE WOLF'S CAPACITY FOR REGENERATION HAS NOT BEEN MISPLACED.
"You're so stupid!" The rug deadened the stamp of a frivolous slipper. "Why do you think I care whether you go or stay? Why do you suppose I ever let them think they'd got round me again? Only because I wanted to help . . ."
"For my sake!"
"You're not really stupid, you know," Folly commented, and whipped her hand back into her own keeping. "You've known all along . . . Now keep your promise and go. Get as far away as you can and . . . Give me a ring in the morning, I'll tell you what has happened."
"'What has happened'!" On the point of taking her at her word, Lanyard checked in suspicion. "What can happen, if I let Morphew down?"
"You don't think that would stop him? You don't know that monster. I heard him tell Pagan, if you should fail him tonight, refuse to go through or succeed in escaping, there would be a robbery just the same, and of course you'd get all the credit."
"You were right," Lanyard affirmed. "There's no time to waste."
Too late the young woman saw her error and sought to detain him by putting herself in his path.
"What are you going to do?"
"Bid you good night."
Lanyard's hands clipped her elbows to her sides and lifted her bodily till her face was level with his own. Soundly if hastily kissed, she was set to one side, and when she recovered was alone.