"I guess I'd better know right now."
"It is not necessary. Besides, we are not sure of you yet, please remember."
"How could you ever be sure of me?" Murk cried. "If I threw down Mr. Prale, wouldn't I be liable to throw you down, if somebody happened along and raised the price? Why, you simp, I wouldn't turn against Mr. Prale for a million dollars! He's treated me decent, and he was the first man who ever did that! I was just stringin' you, you fool! Mr. Prale himself don't know why your gang is causin' him trouble, and I was tryin' to pump you and find out!"
"So he has told you that he doesn't know why he has enemies?"
"He has—and he told the truth. There's something phony about that murder case; somebody's tryin' to frame him. And when Jim Farland gets through, somebody is goin' to jail!"
"So you will not work for us?"
"You're right; I won't. Maybe I don't amount to much, but I'm mighty square compared to some people I know about."
"And what do you suppose is going to become of you, if you refuse to do as I say?"
"I guess I'll manage to struggle along," Murk said.
"We'll see about that!" the masked man replied, getting up from the chair. "Perhaps a night spent in your present position, without food or water, will cause you to change your mind. If it does not, there are other methods that can be used."