Part 27 (2/2)
Listening, Harry Randall straightened. His lips closed tightly for a second. ”You mean, I presume,” the words were painfully exact, ”to remind me that you hold my note for four hundred dollars, and to imply--” he halted significantly.
For a moment the other man said nothing, the face of him told nothing.
Then deliberately, from an inner pocket, he drew out a leather wallet, from the wallet a strip of paper, and held it so the other could read.
Still without a word he tore it to bits.
”The devil take your note!” he observed, succinctly and without heat.
”Mr. Roberts, you--” Randall's face was crimson, ”you--”
”Yes--I--”
”You didn't mean--that, then, really?”
Roberts said nothing.
”I'm grateful for the confidence, believe me. It's not misplaced, either. Accept my a.s.surance of that too.”
”My name is Roberts, not Shylock. I told you before I am American born, of American parents.”
”I beg your pardon,” abjectly. The red had left Randall's face and in its place, as on a mirror, was forming another look, of comprehension--and more. ”Yet you--advised; and if not that--” of a sudden he got to his feet. Something was coming he knew to a certainty--something unexpected, vital--and he felt better able so to meet it. ”Just what did you mean?”
Roberts was studying him deliberately, with the peculiar a.n.a.lytical look Armstrong of old had known so well.
”You can't imagine yet,” he queried, ”not with the motive you fancied eliminated?”
”You wish to do me a kindness, a disinterested kindness. For what reason?”
”Cut out my motive, providing I have one, for the present. It's immaterial.”
”That doesn't help--I can't conceive--” On a sudden came a flash of light that augmented to a blaze. ”Can it concern Margery and me? Is that it?”
Roberts did not look up. ”Yes,” he said.
”You know, then,” tensely. ”How much?”
”Everything.” Roberts inspected the wall-paper opposite as though interested. ”If you'll permit me I'll help you to avoid an action for divorce.” A pause. ”One, moreover, I can't help but feel somewhat justified.”
For long, very long, there was silence absolute. Then, adequate time having pa.s.sed, apparently Roberts lost interest in the wall pattern.
”Sit down, please,” he suggested. ”At last it seems we understand each other. Let's talk things over a bit.”
CHAPTER III
FRIENDs.h.i.+P
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