“ ‘Perfectly correct,’ he said. ‘As you say, it was Tom who opened the safe. I caught him absolutely in the act. And then Mr. Maitland came.’
“ ‘But—good God!’ I cried, ‘what an unutterable young waster he must be to let you shoulder the blame!’
“Digby faced me steadily. ‘I made him. You see, I saw it was the chance I had been looking for.’
“ ‘You mean you told him about your heart?’
“ ‘No,’ he answered quietly. ‘But I told him I was entangled with another woman, and that the best way of saving his sister’s feelings was to let her think——’
“And then the boy broke down utterly. With his hands on my shoulders he stood there facing me, and he made me swear I wouldn’t tell the girl.
“ ‘She must never know, Doctor. I’ve done it for her. She must never know.’
“And even as he spoke, the words died away on his lips, and he stood motionless, staring past me at the door. Without looking round I knew what had happened—I could smell the faint scent she used.
“ ‘What have you done for me, Jack, and why must I never know?’
“She came steadily up to him, and his hands fell to his side.