"Well, we got it and went to Hongkong."
"With Cairo?
Or had you ditched him before that?"
"Yes.
We left him in Constantinople, in jail—something about a check."
"Something you fixed up to hold him there?"
She looked shamefacedly at Spade and whispered:
"Yes." "Right.
Now you and Thursby are in Hongkong with the bird."
"Yes, and then—I didn't know him very well—I didn't know whether I could trust him.
I though-it it would be safer—anyway, I met Captain Jacobi and I knew his boat was coming here, so I asked him to bring a package for me—and that was the bird.
I wasn't sure I could trust Thursby, or that Joe or—or somebody working for Gutman might not be on the boat we came on—and that seemed the safest plan."
"All right.
Then you and Thursby caught one of the fast boats over.
Then what?"
"Then—thien I was afraid of Gutman.
I knew he had people—connections—everywhere, and he'd soon know what we had done.
And I was afraid he'd have learned that we had left Hongkong for San Francisco.
He was in New York and I knew' if he heard that by cable he would have phenty of time to get here by the time we did, or before.
He did.
I didn't know that then, but I was afraid of it, and I had to wait here until Captain Jacobi's boat arrived.
And I was afraid Gutman wouhd find me—or find Floyd and buy him over.
That's why I came to you and asked you to watch him for—"
"That's a lie," Spade said.
"You had Thursby hooked and you knew it.
He was a sucker for women.
His record shows that—the only falls he took were over women.
Am-id once a chump, always a chump.
Maybe you didn't know' his record, but you'd know you had him safe."
She blushed and looked timidly at him. He said:
"You wanted to get him out of the way before Jacobi came with the loot.
What was your scheme?"
"I—I knew he'd left tfie States with a gambler after some trouble.
I didn't know what it was. but I thought that if it was anything serious and he saw a detective watching him he'd think it was on account of the old trouble, and would be frightened into going away.
I didn't think—"
"You told him he was being shadowed," Spade said confidently.
"Miles hadn't many brains, but he wasn't clumsy enough to be spotted the first night."
"I told him, yes.
Whcn we went out for a walk that night I pretended to discover Mr. Archer following us and pointed him out to Floyd."
She sobbed.
"But please believe, Sam, that I wouldn't have done it if I had thought Floyd would kill him.
I thought he'd be frightened into leaving the city.
I didn't for a minute think he'd shoot him like that."
Spade smiled wolfishly with his lips, but not at all with his eyes. He said:
"If you thought he wouldn't you were right, angel."
The girl's upraised face held utter astonishment.
Spade said:
"Thursby didn't shoot him."
Incredulity joined astonishment in the girl's face.
Spade said: