“And I can tell a little that will help,” grimly added Nan Burdette.
There was a glitter in Hilton’s dark eyes, and he bared his white teeth. “And what I’ve got to tell will jam up her game even worse! You and she are not going to get away with this!”
“The three of you are going to say exactly nothing! Nan Burdette,”—with sudden incisiveness,—“I know your part in that Gordon affair. Miss Cordova, I’ve got more than a hunch about that pearl necklace Mrs. Sinclair gave her husband to have repaired and which strangely disappeared. And, Hilton, I’ve got a lead about a certain lady who fainted—she really drank drugged tea—at an afternoon dance at the Grantham and whose diamond brooch was not afterwards found. I’d run every one of you in this minute—only I’d rather keep things quiet and give Miss Regan her chance to do just as she pleases concerning Jack Morton. But if there is one word—and I’ll know it, if there is—if there’s one word from any of you that touches on Miss Regan, I’ll get every one of you!”
He turned sharply on Loveman. “These are your people, Peter Loveman; working under your orders. You tell them to keep their mouths closed about Miss Regan; if there’s a peep, something very unexpected is also going to happen to you.”
“See here, Clifford,” protested Loveman, “I’ve no control over them!”
“Believe it or not, Loveman, but I’ve got you, too,” Clifford retorted sharply, “only I’d rather not close in on you just yet unless you make me. You’ll give them that order and see that they obey it, or you’ll get what you’ll get!”
Loveman gazed for a moment longer into Clifford’s set face. Then with a feeble attempt at a pleasant smile he turned to the others:—
“I guess you all understand that I’d like to have you do as Mr. Clifford says.”
“That’s all,” said Clifford sharply. “Now, get out of here—all of you. You can settle your bills outside. I give you just one minute.”
Within the minute they were gone. Mary and Clifford, alone in the little room, Jack still pitched unconsciously forward upon the table, looked at each other for a long space. Despite the fake Hawaiian music and the laughter of the mixed world of Le Minuit, which sounded through the thin partitions, there was in reality a deep silence between them.