"He had not touched whiskey, you say—not since—"
"Not in three years. It has wrought an unbelievable change in him."
"I knew him, David, before he drank at all," she said, staring past him. "Perhaps the change would not be so great to me."
"He has aged many years. There are hard, desperate lines in his face. You would see a change, I am afraid, Mrs. Braddock."
She was silent for a moment. "Go on, David," she said, suddenly passing her hand before her eyes in a movement as expressive as it was involuntary. "Dick Cronk has a certain amount of influence over him, you say."
"It will not last. When Colonel Grand hears that he is back in town his first step will be to have him thrown into jail on one pretext or another. Braddock realizes this. He has made up his mind to strike first. I think he believes in you, Mrs. Braddock—in fact, I am sure he does. I know he loves Christine. But he hates Colonel Grand even more than he loves her or—you. He—"
"Oh, he does not love me, David. You need not hesitate," she said drearily.
"As I have already said, he gave Dick a half-promise that he would try to see you. He has two questions he intends to ask, I believe. I think, Mrs. Braddock, you will be doing a very wise thing if you see him—of your own free will. He will probably insist on seeing you in any event—even in the face of opposition. You can avoid a great deal of trouble by—well, by not barring him out. I know how it must distress you. I wish I could take all the worry, all the trouble off your shoulders. But there would be only one way in which I could do it—and that would be a desperate one."
It was then that she laid her trembling, icy hand on his, and said, "Search for him until you find him."
David hesitated a moment before putting his next question. It touched on a very tender subject.