Deane rose to his feet,—he was a little cramped from long sitting. He lowered the blind and turned on the electric light, walking around the room, and casually touching the door to see that it was closely shut. Then he came back to his place, and leaned over once more toward the girl. "Why have you come back?" he asked.
"To ask you a question," she answered.
"Well?"
"Basil went on your behalf to see this man, Sinclair," she said. "He had a commission from you, had he not, and he failed?"
"Yes!" Deane said. "He failed!"
"It was to make an offer for some document, was it not?"
Deane nodded. "Yes!" he said. "It was."
"You are doing your best for Basil," she said, her voice trembling a little. "You paid for his defence, I know. You have promised that you will do all that you can, even now. I thought, perhaps, I might be able to do something in return. Why couldn't I get this paper for you?"
He looked at her steadily for several moments. "You could," he answered, "if you had the pluck."
"Tell me how?" she asked.