You may address him, for he will recognise your
voice as well as your person, but Monsieur Valmont had better not
speak, as then he might know it was not the voice of my poor young
master. I suggest that you meet him first together, always at night.
The rest I leave in your hands, Monsieur Valmont.'
With that the old man rose and left us.
Perhaps I should stop this narration here, for I have often wondered
if practically I am guilty of manslaughter.
We did not meet Major Renn together, but arranged that he should
encounter Jack under one lamp-post, and me under the next. It was just
after midnight, and the streets were practically deserted. The theatre
crowds had gone, and the traffic was represented by the last 'buses,
and a belated cab now and then. Major Renn came down the steps of his
club, and under the first lamp-post, with the light shining full upon
him, Jack the convict stepped forth.
'Colonel Jim,' he said, 'Ed and I are waiting for you. There were
three in that robbery, and one was a traitor. His dead comrades ask
the traitor to join them.'
The Major staggered back against the lamp-post, drew his hand across
his brow, and muttered, Jack told me afterwards:--
'I must stop drinking! I must stop drinking!'
Then he pulled himself together, and walked rapidly towards the next
lamp-post.
Pages:
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335