Mrs. Ladew hesitated a moment and said, finally:
“Why do you ask me these questions?”
“Because I believe you know them all.”
“I do, I do. But they were told me in confidence. And now I see how I am entangled by them.”
She got up and walked to the window and looked out a moment. Then she came back, evidently making a severe effort to control herself. Suddenly she turned to Nick and said:
“You are no friend of mine. There is no reason why I should trust you. I am in a great trouble. I see that now. And I have no way to turn.”
“I have said before, Mrs. Ladew, I have no wish to injure or expose you. I say now that, if you will reveal to me all you know, I will protect you and help you.”
“But how can I trust you? How do I know that I can trust you?”
“If you know anything about me,” said Nick, “you must know that I am a man of my word. I am accustomed to hold the secrets of many persons, and no one has ever heard that Nick Carter has betrayed them.”
Mrs. Ladew stood a moment in thought and, at length, said: