She shook her head. "No," she said. "It's there."
Trembling from weakness in the reaction, he leaned against the table, wiping his sweating brow with sweating hands.
"But," she went on, "it must stay there."
He looked open-mouthed at her.
"You have brought the money out here for use in the convention," she went on with perfect calmness. "You have tried to make me a partner in that vile business. And—I refuse to play the part assigned me. I shall keep the money until the convention is over."
He looked round like a terror-stricken drowning man, about to sink for the last time.
"I'm ruined! I'm ruined!" he almost screamed.
"No," she said, still calm. "You will not be ruined, though you deserve to be. But I understand why you have become callous to the commonplace decencies of life, and I shall see to it that no harm comes to you."
"Mr. Dumont will—DESTROY me! You don't realize, Mrs. Dumont. Vast property interests are at stake on the result of this convention—that's our cause. And you are imperiling it!"
"Imperiling a cause that needs lies and bribes to save it?" she said ironically. "Please calm yourself, Mr. Culver. You certainly can't be blamed for putting your money in a safe place. I take the responsibility for the rest. And when you tell Mr. Dumont exactly what happened, you will not be blamed or injured in any way."