And his bewilderment was added to by his swift realization of quite another element involved in her frank proposition.

He was now engaged in the enterprise of foisting a bogus article, Maggie, upon this woman who was offering him her complete confidence--an enterprise of most questionable ethics and very dubious issue.

If he accepted her offer, and the result of this enterprise were disaster, what would Miss Sherwood then think of him?
He took refuge in evasion.

"I'm not going to try to tell you how much I appreciate your proposition, Miss Sherwood.

But do you mind if I hold back my answer for the present and think it over?
Anyhow, to do all that is required I must be able to work in the open--and I can't do that until I get free of my entanglements with the police and my old acquaintances." Thus it was agreed upon.