She stood upright, pale and desperate.
"That woman of your country, then--La Belle Nita--did she lie to me ?" "How can I tell ?" he answered coldly, "because I do not know what she said." Maggie made an effort to test her position.
"I came here as a thief," she confessed.

"I am detected.

What are your intentions ?" He moved very slowly a little closer to her.

Maggie felt her sense of excitement grow.
"You came here as a thief," he repeated, "as a spy.

Why did you not ask me for the information you desired ?" "Because you would not have told me," she replied, "at least you would not have told me the truth." "For a price," he said, "the truth would have been yours for the asking.
For a different price it is yours now." Again without noticeable movement he seemed to have drawn nearer.