“Well, you may proceed to do your worst,” was the cool answer. “You may be ‘disgraced,’ as you say, by the relationship, but this affair must not stop there.”
With this parting shot the detective put out his hand to open the door, but the white fingers of the daughter closed about his wrist.
“Beware,” she almost hissed. “I don’t know who took the old hag’s life, but you must not connect her with our family.”
The detective shook the grip off and looked again at Perry Lamont.
His head had dropped upon his breast, and his face was deathly white.
“He’s gone into one of his strange spells,” said the girl. “You see that he is almost an imbecile. At times he seems his old self, but in reality he is but a human wreck. I’ll give you ten thousand dollars to quit this ‘trail,’ as you call it.”
Ten thousand dollars!
Nick was silent and the girl took it as a sign of hesitation.
“I’ll write out the check now,” she went on. “It shall be paid any way you want it.”
The detective shook his head.