Revenge is a powerful motor, so is the love of money; but when they act together, then the man who harbors them is propelled like a steam engine—swiftly yet carefully, and, therefore, barring accidents, surely.
Gradually the long, absent strength came back to Blair. As the doctor had said, he had a wonderful constitution, and it did more for him than the great Sir Astley or the great "Sir" anybody else could have done, and at last one morning he remarked, in the curt manner which had now become habitual to him:
"I shall go up to town, Austin."
"To town?"' said Austin Ambrose, raising his eyebrows. "Do you think you are fit, my dear Blair?"
"Yes," replied Blair slowly. "I am sick of sitting here day after day, and lying here night after night. I think I could"—he paused, and smothered a sigh—"sleep in London. This place is so infernally quiet——"
"Very well. Only don't run any risks," said Austin Ambrose.
Blair looked at him with a hard smile.
"If I thought I should run any risk, as you call it, I should go all the sooner. Will you wire and tell them at the Albany that I am coming?"
"I'll do better than that," said Austin Ambrose, who did not by any means desire that their whereabouts should be known. "I'll run up and see that things are straight and comfortable for you, old man."
Blair looked at him moodily.