Part 37 (1/2)
Shaynon's having caused ain control of my estate--”
”Wonder what put _that_ into his head!” P Sybarite broke in with quickening curiosity
”He insisted that these stories could only be refuted if I'd coht And when I still hesitated, he threatened--”
”What?” growled the little man
”That, if I didn't consent, he'd telephone the paper to go ahead and publish that awful story about the chauffeur”
P Sybarite caught himself barely in time to shut his teeth upon an expletive
”There!” said the girl ”Don't let's talk about it any longer After what you've told me Well, it's all over now!”
P Sybarite pondered this in manifest doubt
”Are you sure?” he queried with his head thoughtfully to one side
”Am I sure?” she repeated, puzzled ”Rather! I tell you, I've finished with the Shaynons for good and all I never liked either of them--never understood what father saw in old Mr Shaynon to make him trust him the way he did And now, after what has happenedI shall stop at the Plaza to-night--they know s If Mr Shaynon objects, I'll see if the laon't relieve uardianshi+p”
”If you'll take a fool's advice, you'll do that, whether or no An uneasy conscience is a fine young traitor to its possessor, as a rule”
”Nohat can you mean by that?”
”I don't believe there's been any whisper of suspicion that the Shaynons had caused you to be spirited away”
”Then why did Bayard say--”
”Because he was thinking about it! The unconscious self-betrayal of the unskilled but potential criirl in horror ”I don't think _that_--”
”Well, I do,” said P Sybarite gloomily ”I know they're capable of it It wouldn't be the first time Brian Shaynon ruined a friend There was once a family in this town by the name of Sybarite--the family of a rich and successful man, associated with Brian Shaynon in a business way I'm what's left of it, thanks to _ a story to detail; but the old fox ed to keep within the letter of the lahen he robbed et back at hi you all this only to show you how far the man's to be trusted”
”Oh, I'm sorry--!”
”Don't be, please What I've endured has done ht has seen the turn of my fortunes--or else I'm hopelessly deluded
Furthermore, some day I mean to square my account with Brian Shaynon to the fraction of a penny--and within the law”