"'I've heard he was good looking.'
"'Don't I know that face—flushed and weak! He's a liar and a cheat. He has a conceit he can best everyone. And he's begun drinking. God knows why I married him. It seemed the natural thing somehow since you had divorced me. The child had to have a father.... But he disgusts me, Harry. He disgusts me. I can't go on. I can't endure it. You can't imagine it—in those little lodgings—in the hot weather. To keep a maudlin drunken man away from one.... If I hadn't seen this way out something worse might have happened.'
"'Can't you come away from him at once?' I asked. 'Why should you ever go back to him?'
"'No. I must get clear away or there will be mischief. And you mustn't be in it. He'd think of you at once. If he had a hint it was you. That's what you have to do about the money and everything, letters or anything—get it to me without your being mixed up with it. You must get me money, not cheques. We mustn't be seen to meet. Even about here it's risky. He's got into a gang. He's been getting deeper and deeper into a rotten set. They blackmail the bookies. They go about with revolvers. They pass on things to one another. It grew out of betting and now they call it getting a bit of their own back.... If they spot you in it, they'll come for you.'
"'Trench warfare in London. I'll risk it.'
"'You needn't risk anything—if we are discreet. If there was some one I could see—who'd hand things on.'
"I thought at once of my sister Fanny.
"'That would be safe,' said Hetty. 'As safe as could be. And I'd love to see her again. I loved her when I met her.... But all this is awful good of you, Harry. I don't deserve a moment's kindness.
"'Nonsense! I pushed you into the dirt, Hetty.'
"'I jumped into it.'