She felt that she should take his hand, but she disliked to thrust it through the bars. Still she did so. In slipping her hand through to take Archie's hand it touched the iron, which was cold and soft as if with some foul grease.
"Oh, Archie," she said, "what has happened?"
"Search me," he said, "I don't know what I'm here for. Ask Detective Kouka there. He run me in."
Gusta turned. The black-visaged man was standing beside her. Archie glared at the detective in open hatred, and Kouka sneered but controlled himself, and looked away as if, after all, he were far above such things.
Then they were silent, for Gusta could not speak.
"How did you hear of the pinch?" asked Archie presently.
"Mrs. Schopfle was in--she told us," replied Gusta.
"What did the old man say?"
"Oh, Archie! He's awful mad!"
Archie hung his head and meditatively fitted the toe of his boot into one of the squares made by the crossed bars at the bottom of the door.