She nodded.

“First off, what’s the way John Mark uses you?”

She clenched her hands.  “If I tell you that, you will both despise me.”

“Try us,” said Ronicky.  “And you can lay to this, lady, that, when a gent out of the West says ‘partner’ to a girl or a man, he means it.  What you do may be bad; what you are is all right.  We both know it.  The inside of you is right, lady, no matter what John Mark makes you do.  But tell us straight, what is it?”

“He has made me,” said the girl, her head falling, “a thief!”

Ronicky saw Bill Gregg wince, as if someone had struck him in the face.  And he himself waited, curious to see what the big fellow would do.  He had not long to wait.  Gregg went straight to the girl and took her hands.

“D’you think that makes any difference?” he asked.  “Not to me, and not to my friend Ronicky.  There’s something behind it.  Tell us that!”

“There is something behind it,” said the girl, “and I can’t say how grateful I am to you both for still trusting me.  I have a brother.  He came to New York to work, found it was easy to spend money—­and spent it.  Finally he began sending home for money.  We are not rich, but we gave him what we could.  It went on like that for some time.  Then, one day, a stranger called at our house, and it was John Mark.  He wanted to see me, and, when we talked together, he told me that my brother had done a terrible thing—­what it was I can’t tell even you.

“I wouldn’t believe at first, though he showed me what looked like proofs.  At last I believed enough to agree to go to New York and see for myself.  I came here, and saw my brother and made him confess.  What it was I can’t tell you.  I can only say that his life is in the hand of John Mark.  John Mark has only to say ten words, and my brother is dead.  He told me that.  He showed me the hold that Mark had over him, and begged me to do what I could for him.  I didn’t see how I could be of use to him, but John Mark showed me.  He taught me to steal, and I have stolen.  He taught me to lie, and I have lied.  And he has me still in the hollow of his hand, do you see?  And that’s why I say that it’s hopeless.  Even if you could fight against John Mark, which no one can, you couldn’t help me.  The moment you strike him he strikes my brother.”

“Curse him!” exclaimed Ronicky.  “Curse the hound!” Then he added:  “They’s just one thing to do, first of all.  You got to go back to John Mark.  Tell him that you came over here.  Tell him that you seen Bill Gregg, but you only came to say good-by to him, and to ask him to leave town and go West.  Then, tomorrow, we’ll move out, and he may think that we’ve gone.  Meantime the thing you do is to give me the name of your brother and tell me where I can find him.  I’ll hunt him up.  Maybe something can be done for him.  I dunno, but that’s where we’ve got to try.”

“But—­” she began.

“Do what he says,” whispered Bill Gregg.  “I’ve doubted Ronicky before, but look at all that he’s done?  Do what he says, Caroline.”