"Cutler's idea is money," she said; "but, believe me, he's wrong.
This girl is a vampire. She'll only come back to you for more.
She'll keep on threatening to tell the wife, to tell the papers.
The way to fix her is to throw a scare into her. And there's only
one man can do that; there's only one man that can hush this thing
up--that's you."

"When can I see her?" asked Wharton.

"Now," said the woman. "I'll bring her." Wharton could not suppress
an involuntary "Here?" he exclaimed.

For the shade of a second Mrs. Earle exhibited the slightest
evidence of embarrassment.

"My room's in a mess," she explained; "and she's not hurt so much
as Sammy said. He told her she was in bad just to keep her quiet
until you got here."

Mrs. Earle opened one of the doors leading from the room. "I won't
be a minute," she said. Quietly she closed the door behind her.

Upon her disappearance the manner of the district attorney
underwent an abrupt change. He ran softly to the door opposite the
one through which Mrs. Earle had passed, and pulled it open. But,
if beyond it he expected to find an audience of eavesdroppers, he
was disappointed. The room was empty, and bore no evidence of
recent occupation. . He closed the door, and, from the roller-top
desk, snatching a piece of paper, scribbled upon it hastily.