"I have treated you very meanly, Ida," confessed Sid. "I made you
keep my secret, and Lem found out--at least, he thought he did--that
you were in with me."
"That's why he followed me and demanded money of me," spoke Ida. "I
decided then that it must all come out, though I also decided that I
would never again have anything to do with you, Sid Wilcox."
"Not even after--" began the youth:
"No. Your--your ring is--here," and she, pointed to the safe.
Sid started.
"I wondered why you didn't wear it," he said: "Yes," he went on, "I
have been mean to Ida, though I--I did ask her to take the
ring--to--to make up for it."
It was clear that he did care for the girl, as much as it was
possible for a person of his selfish nature to care for any one.
"I--I spent some of the money for the ring for Ida," he went on.
"Yes, and for that reason, as much as for any other--because I knew
you were only a shade removed from a thief--I threw it away!" burst
out Ida.
"When?" asked Sid, much astonished.
"The same night when, masked as a nun, I slipped back the bonds into
Ed's pocket--as you asked me to."
"So that's how they got there!" exclaimed Ed.
"Then, when Ida came and told me a little while ago about Lem," went
on Sid after a pause, "I knew the game was up.
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