The shot was delivered through clean, white teeth. The smile faded from the cracksman’s lips. He leaned slightly forward and locked Sir Richard’s eyes with a glance that caused the chief of the bureau to recoil slightly.
“Yes!â€� said Fay hotly. “Yes, Sir Richard—oh, I know you! You’ve gyved me! You hounded me! You threw me in that hell-hole called Dartmoor with the wooden-minded screws walking before my cell till I thought I would go mad. You saw to it that I was sent away for the limit! Now you want something, and you won’t trust me away from your coppers!â€�
“Coppers?� asked Sir Richard removing the mask and dropping it to the table. “What are coppers, Fay?�
“Police! Screws! Guards! Turnkeys! Hell-hounds!�
Sir Richard stared at MacKeenon and motioned toward the door.
“Go out, Mac,� he said, “and leave us to ourselves. I think that Fay and I can come to an understanding better that way.�
The inspector hesitated, walked to the door, turned the key and passed out into the hallway.
The door closed as Sir Richard rubbed his hands, eyed Fay with interest, and leaned back in the chair.
“Now,� he said, “we are alone. I’ve no doubt that you can get away. In fact I’d hate to match myself against you, Fay. We have your record, you know.�
“A lot of it isn’t true!� said Fay bitterly. “You people are always making up things. I didn’t turn that trick in Hatton Gardens. Why, do you think I’d work without gloves?�