"We never spoke to her until she told us she wanted to see us," John put in. "As I was leaving the house after you were arrested she stopped me and asked me to come back, saying she had something to tell me."
The anger that had blazed in Hatch's eyes when he suspected them of violating their promise softened to tenderness.
"Poor kid," he said, "it's a hard jolt for her." He hesitated a moment and then added, "She's the only one in the world who really cares what becomes of me. Well, what did she have to say to you?"
"You can guess, can't you?" asked Brennan.
"I suppose I could, but I'm not going to," returned Hatch.
"She wants to help you," said Brennan.
"You don't have to tell me that."
"What she told us she revealed with the sole thought of trying to help."
Drawing mild little puffs of smoke from his cigar "Big Jim" waited silently, thoughtfully, for Brennan to continue.
"She told us about your trouble with 'Gink' Cummings—the whole business." Brennan watched Hatch's face intently as he spoke. "And to prove it I'll repeat her story to us, exactly as she told it."