No one spoke, but before he had time to wonder at their silence Helen leaned forward and thrust into his hands a big, official-looking envelop, which Mrs. Hallard had given her, with a few whispered words of explanation.
“What’s this?” Gard asked, peering at it in the uncertain light.
Helen laughed, happily and Sandy Larch gave a low chuckle.
“It’s something that’ll interest you a lot,” said he, “an’ I reckon it’ll keep; but good Lord, Gard! Why ’n’t you ever let on?” Sandy’s voice was full of loving reproach.
“If you’d only put me hip,” he continued, “a word’d a’ fixed it. But I get the shivers yet, thinkin’ o’ all might ’a’ happened.”
“Don’t, Sandy,” pleaded Helen. She was still trembling, with excitement and horror.
“Tell him; quick!” she urged.
“Tell me what?” Gard was dizzy with weariness and bewilderment. He held his big envelop up, trying to make out what it was.
“To think—” Sandy was still unable, for very eagerness, to come to the point. “Who’d a dreamt you never knew Jim Texas confessed, after all!”
“Confessed?” Gard’s voice thrilled with sudden joy.