Harry was silent. His old companion’s persistence staggered him.
“I tell you once more, I went to the office to see if you had got the loan, and was knocked down. Curse it all! is this true or is it not?”
He placed his head close to the light, and Harry shuddered.
“Don’t believe me unless you like. I wish I had never come near the place.”
“I wish so too,” said Harry coldly. “There, don’t talk like that, man. It has turned out a failure, unless you have got the coin—have you?”
“Have I?” said Harry with utter loathing in his voice. “No!”
“You can believe me or not, as you like, but I always was your friend, and always will be, come what may. Now, look here; we are safe to get the credit of this. If you didn’t fell me, some one else did. Van Heldre, I suppose; and now some one must have knocked him down. Of course you’ll say it wasn’t you.”
“No,” said Harry coldly. “I shall not say it. I was by the safe, and he caught hold of me. In my horror I hit at him. I wish he had struck me dead instead.”
“Don’t talk like a fool. Now look here; the game’s up and the world’s wide. We can start at once, and get to St. Dree’s station in time to catch the up train; let’s go and start afresh somewhere. You and I are safe to get on. Come.”
Harry made no reply.