Over My Dead Body

"I came with her because I had to-and anyway I wanted to," she went on in a better voice. "It was an adventure to come to America. I knew all about-what she was coming for. She trusted me. I knew she would do dangerous things; but I never thought of anything like murder as a thing she would do. When Ludlow was killed I suspected she had done it, but I didn't know. I asked her last night, and she told me I was a fool. Then when I went there this morning and saw Faber, of course I knew she had done that and the other one too. I was frightened and I couldn't think. I couldn't answer questions about her-I couldn't betray her-but I couldn't lie for her any more either. I tried to run away-and I couldn't use my head-and in a strange country-and I was stupid-"

She stopped, and her hand fluttered and fell to her lap again.

In a moment Wolfe said gruffly, "It is faintly encouraging that you are aware that you were stupid."

She offered no comment. He demanded:

"What are you going to do?"

"I…" She shook her head. "I don't know."

"Well, I suppose you are legally my daughter. That puts some responsibilty on me."

Her chin went up. "I'm not asking any-"

"Pfui! Don't. I know. Confound it, you've been dependent on someone all your life, haven't you? Are you going back to Yugoslavia?"

"No."

"Oh, you're not?"

"No."

"What do you want to do-stay in America?"

"Yes."

"As a spy for the Donevitch gang?"

There was a flash in her eye. "No!"

"Where are you going to sleep to-night-in that apartment on 38th Street?"

"Why, I…" A shiver went over her. "No," she said, "I-I don't think I could. I couldn't go back there. Somewhere else. Anywhere. I have a little money." She got to her feet. "I can go-"

"Nonsense. You'd get run over or fall into a hole. You haven't eaten anything and your brain isn't working. I hope it turns out that you've got one. I'll have Fritz fix up another tray for you-"

"No, I couldn't, really I couldn't…"

"Well, you must sleep and in the morning you must eat. You are in no condition now, anyway, to make any sort of intelligent decision. We'll discuss it to-morrow. If you decide to stay in America and not to tear that paper up, I suppose your name will be Carla Wolfe. In that case-Archie, what the devil are you grinning about? Baboon! Take Miss-take my-take her upstairs to the south room! And tell her if she undertakes to use the fire escape not to tumble through my window as she goes by!"

I arose. "Come on, Miss my Carla."