"Since you disbelieve in me, the least you can do is to go upstairs
and take off my clothes."

"She'll do nothing of the kind," cried out the man.

"He doesn't want to lose his prey," Mrs Hamilton remarked to Mavis,
who was inclined to falter a little more.

Perhaps Williams saw the weakening of the girl's resolution, for he
made a last desperate effort on her behalf.

"Look here," he said, "I'm not a sneak, but, if you don't own up and
let Miss Devereux go, I'll fetch in the police."

"You'll what?" cried Mrs Hamilton.

"Fetch in the police. Not to Mrs Hamilton, but to Mrs Bridgeman, Mrs
Knight, or Mrs Davis."

Mrs Hamilton's face went white; she looked intently at the man to
see if he were in earnest. His resolute eyes convinced her that he
was.

The next moment, a torrent of foul words fell from her lips. She
abused Mavis; she reviled the man; she accused the two of sin, the
while she made use of obscene, filthy phrases, which caused Mavis to
put her hands to her ears.

Mavis no longer wavered. She put her hand on the man's arm; the next
minute they were out in the street.