He would not let himself hope too far. When she had come to the end, he said cautiously: "Well, that's a beginning. But it's a wild scheme, Pen. You mustn't bank too much on it. Suppose you're right about Riever--it begins to look as if you were right.--No jury would take the testimony of a lot of gangsters against that of the famous millionaire. And all old Riever's powerful friends would rally round him. We're not out of the woods yet."
"I don't care so much about convicting Riever so long as we raise a sufficient doubt to make a jury afraid to convict you!"
"But it would be a point of honor with that gang to convict me, see? ... What happened after you got home?"
She told him that part somewhat toned down. She suppressed the fact of Riever's proposal.
Don said wisely: "I believe Riever's falling in love with you!"
He laughed at her tale of how she had led the detectives into the woods, and left them there watching.
"But wait a minute," he said. "After awhile it will begin to percolate into their thick heads that they've been sold. They'll begin to put two and two together. They'll realize that you drew them away from the house on purpose ... Take it from me we'll have a visit from them before morning. You'd better let me go while the going's good!"
Pen clung to him. "No! No! Can't you stay with me an hour without beginning to fidget? ... They're going to comb the woods at dawn. Where could you go?"
"No matter. I'm on my own ground here. I'm prepared for them.... Wait a minute!"
Leaving him, she unlocked the door into the back room, and disappeared for a few minutes. She returned through the other door.
"Preparing a line of retreat," she said smiling.
"Not midnight yet. Things have been moving fast."
"You must be worn out, dear. Lie down and sleep. I'll keep watch."
"Silly! Do you think I could sleep with you in the room?"
"No! What's an hour or two's sleep? ... Come and sit down again."
On the sofa near the windows she leaned back against him, her head in the hollow of his shoulder. He sunk his cheek in her hair.
"Pen, it's just a week to-day since we met. Isn't that strange?"
"What's time got to do with it? I knew the very first moment."
"Story-teller! The first look you gave me was not that kind at all?"