insinuate that with you out of the way, they would have the boy at their mercy and could do away with him so that McKnight's mother could not adopt him and cut Carter and his lady-love out of part of her fortune. Wasn't that it?"
Evalani was silent again. "I suppose," she said, noncommittally, "that your idea might seem plausible. But anyway, the point was that they were going to get me out of the way, and after that they could do as they pleased."
"But did Kat go the whole way with you?"
"No. We went down the Round Top road. I could see enough through the wind-shield, after the rug was off of my head, to keep track of where we were. I don't know why they didn't blindfold me. Perhaps it was because Kat liked to watch my eyes while she tortured me. When we got down into the outskirts of town, he let Kat out, so that she could go home by street-car; but before she went, she gave my wrist a parting grip with her sharp nails and said, 'Good-bye. I hope that you will have a nice long joy-ride.' And after she was out, she looked back through the open door and bowed and smiled her creamy smile, as if she were saying good afternoon to her dearest friend.
"As soon as she was gone, McKnight began to drink every few minutes. He had taken a good deal before I met them, I could tell; and then several more drinks after I was out from under the rug;
