“Keep calm, my young friend,” Carpentaria enjoined him. And he told him the history of the drunken man. “Naturally all this is strictly confidential,” he concluded.
“I should think so,” said Rivers, aghast. “Can you not see that you have got yourself into a dreadful mess? You are an accessory after the fact. You have been guilty of a gross illegality. I don’t know what the penalty is; I’m not very well up in medical jurisprudence; but I know it’s something pretty stiff. Why, you might be accused of the murder.”
“Yes, I am aware of all that,” answered Carpentaria. “But I was very curious; and I didn’t want any police meddling here.”
“You are going just the way to bring them here.”
“Not at all. When you have made your examination I shall simply put the body where I found it. No one will be the wiser.”
“And theft?”
“Then—we shall see. It will depend on your examination.”
“But, really, Mr. Carpentaria, I cannot lend myself——-”
“Not to oblige me?”
Carpentaria smiled an engaging smile, and they descended together to the outhouse.