"As to that," I replied, "you need have no fear, for under no circumstances would I ever betray the confidence."
"You will promise me then, on your word of honor, that the information I am about to give you shall never be mentioned in connection therewith, whatever the circumstances or consideration?" interrogated my new friend.
"You have stated the conditions," I replied promptly, and continuing, I assured the gentleman that I would protect his name in connection with the subject, as I would my life.
He then proceeded to inform me that Mrs. Marie McKinley had kept the appointment and had remained in the park fully an hour, if not longer before returning home.
My informant expressed himself as of the opinion that Marie was implicated in the plot to effect my capture, but could not understand, if such was the case, why she should have remained in the park so long a time after the appointed hour of our meeting. He was quite positive, however, that she was cognizant of the fact that information was sent to headquarters with reference to her appointment with me and of what might result as a sequence of our meeting.
"Do you mean to infer that Marie sent word to headquarters? I can hardly believe this," I replied.
"As to who inspired the message, I cannot say, but I do know, beyond all doubt, that there was a message received over the 'phone at police headquarters at four o'clock on Sunday morning, informing the department that Mrs. McKinley was to meet you in the park at two o'clock that afternoon."
"Am I to understand that Marie 'phoned this information?" I asked.
"Not exactly, but it came from one who occupies the same house in which Mrs. McKinley resides and which residence, if your betrayer has correctly stated the facts, you visited on the Saturday night before, remaining for something like two hours," was the reply.
The suspense was soon to be terminated and although I might have guessed the rest, I asked, though stunned from the shock and beside myself with grief; "who might this one have been?"
Drawing a little closer and placing his right hand on my shoulder as if to brace me for what was yet to come, in subdued tones he spoke again, and his answer had been given me.
"What," I murmured, "Allie McKinley, the very blood of my old friend and partner, Horace, and it was he, the one in whom I should have least expected to discover my 'Judas Iscariot' and the one with whom, but a few short nights before, I had partaken of his hospitality in the breaking of bread and drinking of wine and in whose home, I was supposed to consider myself a welcome guest, free to share with him in that which was his and secure against my foes!"
What did they give him that I might be delivered unto them? What, I asked myself, could be the nature of the covenant into which he had entered? Not for gold, nor for silver, nor for precious stones would I have done this thing to one of those—my friends. And could it be, that for "thirty pieces of silver" I should be sold into slavery?
It was now, indeed, that I could understand that cowardly look. It was now, indeed, that I could understand wherein his interest centered, when, on that most wretched Saturday night, he asked such questions as: "How are you fixed, Steve, in case you are being trailed now and the officers should come in on you?" and "What would you do in event of being discovered?" It was now, too, that I guessed at what might have taken place, even at that very hour, had my faithful weapon not have been produced and exhibited in evidence of something more substantial even than human flesh, and because of the sight of that polished barrel, he had cowered beneath the spell.
It was now, in my moments of reflection and bitter remorse, that I could understand the intuition of my troubled mind, when, on that same miserable night, I tried so hard to find repose in sleep, but could not, even for a moment, conquer Page 283
