Maurice Rodaine was the one man who could give direct evidence against Harry as the man who had held up the Old Times Dance, and Anita now was engaged to marry him.

Judge Richmond had been a friend of Thornton Fairchild; could it have been possible that this friendship might have entailed the telling of secrets which had not been related to any one else?
The matter of the finding of the skeleton could be handled easily, Fairchild saw, through Maurice Rodaine.

One word from him to his father could change the story of Crazy Laura and make it, on the second telling, only the maundering tale of an insane, herb-gathering woman.

Anita could have arranged it, and Anita might have arranged it.

Fairchild wished now that he could recall his words, that he could have held his temper and by some sort of strategy arranged matters so that the offer might have come more directly--from Anita herself.
Yet, why should she have gone through this procedure to reach him?
Why had she not gone to Farrell with the proposition--to a man whom she knew Fairchild trusted, instead of to a greasy, hand rubbing shyster?
And besides-- But the question was past answering now.