"Yes! Maisie Larne! She was murdered in Denver, in a fit of jealousy, by a man nicknamed 'Red' Rathbone—"
"She was murdered because she sold out Mrs. Atterbury's accomplice, this person called 'Red,' to detectives in Laramie, Wyoming, and they communicated with the federal authorities in Washington, and spoiled that particular plot. 'Red' escaped to Denver, she followed him and she was killed by a man known as 'Bud'—"
"Bud Malone! And we never suspected it! The Chief will get him—"
"He's on his way to Japan," interrupted Betty.
"Then he is as good as in our hands! We will have all the ports watched and he can't escape," Ross cried. Then impetuously he held out his hands to her. "I can't endure it that all this hideous knowledge should have come to you! It is as if you were being steeped in defilement! You know that you can trust me! Tell me what this impossible task is which you have set your hand to. Let me undertake it for you, let me bear the burden!"
"Please, please don't ask me! You cannot help me, no one can. I must see it through alone!"
"Then you—you mean that I am to leave you here?" His arms dropped to his sides. "Nothing can move you? I may not even stay to protect you, lest I draw suspicion upon you! I can't! No man could leave the woman he loved in such peril! What if I were to take you away now by sheer force?"
"But you will not." Betty spoke softly but with absolute finality. "I trusted you, I came to you here because you asked it, you will not take advantage of my faith to destroy it. And you must not mention—love. I am grateful to you for risking your chief's displeasure, your very career for my sake, but I must stand alone. There is stern work ahead of me and I shall succeed; I feel it in my very heart and nothing can make me turn from that which lies before me."
Herbert Ross drew a deep breath and his voice was husky with pent-up emotion as he said solemnly:
"Then may God keep you, dear! It may be that you are right; such bravery as yours should have its reward, no matter what your object may be. Remember that day and night I shall be on guard as near as I can get to you without bringing harm upon your head. Take this and wear it; do not leave it for an instant out of reach, and if danger threatens you blow as loudly as you can upon it. A man will be stationed where he can hear it and pass the signal along, and you will find me at your side. I must not keep you now, but God! how I dread to let you go back into their clutches!"