A Disappearance
When Rupert returned to Marport next day, Burgh accompanied him. The young squire of Royabay wished to give information to the police regarding the guilt of Forge. But Clarence persuaded him against doing so. "You'll only get me into a row," said he, in his candid way. "You see I told a lie."
"You tell so many lies," said Rupert sharply, "I don't know but what I ought to give you in charge."
"I guess not, seeing I saved your life last night."
"No. You're right there Burgh. But have you really anything to do with this murder?"
"No, 'cept as how I told old Tung-yu last night."
"Just repeat what you said. I was so faint with the loss of blood that I didn't gather half you said."
Burgh nodded. "You were pretty sick. I'd to help you back to civilization, same as if you were drunk. If I hadn't, you'd have been robbed and killed down that Bowery gangway."
Ainsleigh could not, but acknowledge that Clarence had acted very well. He had saved him from the man who attacked him in the street, and also, it was owing to him that the two had escaped from the gang of Hwei. Finally Burgh had taken Rupert back to the Guelph Hotel in Jermyn Street, when he was rather shaky from the wound. It was much better this morning, but Ainsleigh looked pale, and not at all himself. Still he did not grudge the trifling wound--it was merely a scratch although it had bled freely,--as the knowledge he had acquired, was well worth the trouble. They had left the den in Penters Alley, some time after midnight, and had returned safely to the West, where Rupert had acted as host to Burgh. That was Clarence all over. Whenever he did anyone a service, he always took it out of him in some way, and but, for the dangerous position in which he found himself would have quartered his carcase on Rupert for an indefinite period.
"But there ain't no denying that I'm in a fix," said Burgh, as the train drew near Marport. "That is, if you split Ainsleigh."