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Lilas's words were directed as an appeal to the others, but her eyes mocked Hammon. "Jim, dear, you won't leave me alone?" Jimmy, not relishing in the least this attempt to goad the millionaire, remained silent, but no words from him were needed. "We've got to have an understanding, right now," stormed Hammon, "so clear 'em out. Clear 'em out, I say."
If Max had no right to any part of the loot what possible claim had Jim to share in it? Once Lilas's cupidity was aroused it banished even that meager ghost of honor that is supposed to prevail among thieves; and, disregarding Max's caution, she decided to take things entirely into her own hands, riding this wave of success to the finish. Accordingly she sent for Bob.
She replaced the pin, then surreptitiously removed some expensive cologne from a large bottle, transferring the perfume to a smaller bottle which she took from her pocket, dabbed her nose with Lilas's powder-puff, and began laying out her enemy's next change of costume. Lorelei had left a handful of silver carelessly exposed, and, discovering this, Mrs. Croft counted it.
Now that his work was done, Jim flung aside his caution and, popping the cork of a wine-bottle, drank deeply, in disregard of Lilas's attempts to share the contents. He was fiercely elated; he imbibed with the eager thirst of a dipsomaniac. It was all so like a nightmare that Lorelei began to doubt her own sanity.
"Now, what's the difference, so long as you get yours? Photography is a paying business." Melcher laughed agreeably. "Sure! I'll bet Sarony is rich." Young Sullivan carelessly accepted the roll of currency which Melcher tossed him, and the others did likewise. "I suppose that's curtain for us," Jim said, regretfully. "It is. The rest is Lilas's affair."
Miss Lynn's cheeks had lost the power of changing color, but her eyes were as expressive as ever, and now as she stared at her victim they showed a certain inflexibility of purpose. "You must have been talking to Merkle," she said, slowly. "Exactly. He's not such a fool as I am." "Well?" There was an insolent rising inflection in Lilas's voice. "What are you going to do about it?"
Lilas rose swiftly with a complete change of manner; she was smiling no longer; her face was sinister. "Very well," she agreed. "To-night. Why not? But I want Lorelei to stay and hear. Yes." "No, I don't want her." "I do." Lilas's bad temper flared up promptly from the hot coals of a spiteful drunken stubbornness. "She'll stay till you go, or else I'll put you out too. I don't trust you."
In view of Jim's words and of what she had gathered at the theater she had felt sure of Lilas's complete knowledge of the blackmail plot, but Hammon's unwavering faith in the girl and Lilas's own story of her relations with Max Melcher had awakened a doubt.
It seemed incredible that such emotion could be counterfeit, and Lilas's plausible explanations did indeed make it appear that Melcher was the resentful victim of an infatuation. Lorelei cast a troubled glance at Merkle and found that he, too, gave signs of uncertainty.
"She wrote from the Hotel " Melcher checked himself and shot a questioning look at his friend. "Why this sudden charity?" Jim's gaze was bland, his tone one of wounded innocence. "Can't a guy offer to cheer " "You're not in the business of cheering sick dames," Melcher said, sharply. Then, after a pause, "You never came through with me, Jim. There was something phony about Lilas's get-away.
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