"By the way,
you can't go without saying good-night to my wife. She has still to
thank you."
"I don't want to be thanked."
"But for you the truth might never have come out."
"Still I shall be much happier if she never speaks of it again."
"Very well, she shall not--on one condition."
"What is that?"
"Langholm, I thought last summer we were to be rather friends? I don't
think that of many people. May I still think it of you?"
"If you will," said Langholm. "I--I don't believe I ever should have
brought myself to give you away!"
"You behaved most fairly, my dear fellow. I shall not forget it, nor the
way you scored off the blackmailer Abel. If it is any satisfaction to
you, I will tell you what his secret was. Nay, I may as well; and my
wife, I must tell her too, though all these months I have hidden it from
her; but I have no doubt he took it to the police when you failed him.
It is bound to get about, but I can live it down as I did the thing
itself. Langholm, like many a better man, I left my country for my
country's good. Never mind the offence; the curious can hunt up the
case, and will perhaps admit there have been worse.
Pages:
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354