"If I did, Dexter would wait his time and then destroy my child and myself," answered the woman, her under-lip quivering.
"You don't really believe that, do you?" asked Dave.
"No; I know it."
"You haven't been to see a lawyer, have you?" inquired Prescott.
"No; I don't dare that, for a lawyer would advise, as you did, sending a detective to keep the appointment, and then Mr. Dexter would be put in prison. I don't want Myra to grow up with the shame of having a father in prison. I—I am glad that Dexter jumped his bail on the other little charge."
"I see just this much about it, Mrs. Dexter," followed Dick. "But—you don't mind my speaking, do you?"
"No; I like to hear you, for you boys have already saved me some heartaches."
"What I was going to say, Mrs. Dexter, is that, no matter how much money you give that man, he'll always keep bothering you as long as you have any left. A man who won't work can't be very brave, and a man who doesn't work can spend an awful lot of money. If you surrender to Dexter I'm sure you'll have to keep on giving in just as long as you have any money left."
"Then you think I ought not to give him the money, and that I ought to hire another good man to guard the house outside?"
"Yes; if you 're really afraid. It'll be cheaper to hire another man than to give all your fortune away."