But all this happened afterwards and is beyond the limits of this story. Kidd played a losing game, in which he staked his life and reputation. What right have we to heap calumny upon his memory? Let him wend his own wicked way alone, while we return to the fortunes of the Red Band.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE EFFECT OF KIDD’S VISIT
During the next forenoon I had no opportunity to go to Yorke. Nor did I feel the duty quite so necessary now that I thought Louis had been beforehand in the matter of warning the governor. For a long time that morning the patroon and I were closeted together. He had begun to suspect the dwarf himself and the suspicion irritated him beyond measure. At last he suggested plainly that Louis must be aware of his motive in garrisoning the fort.
“But,” said I, sure at last that my own suspicions were correct, “why should a knowledge of your motives take him to Yorke?”
The patroon flushed with anger when he discovered how carelessly he had disclosed his secret. There seemed to be a moment’s hesitation in his mind as to what to do, but he saw plainly that I now understood the whole situation clearly. Patroon Van Volkenberg was a man who always acted with decision and at once. He saw that there was no use to brazen it out, and so he made a clean avowal.
“I took you for a man of sense, but I see that you are a fool.”
I had had too long a time of training in keeping cool under adverse circumstances to mind a little fling like this.
“Your words to me yesterday on the way,” I said.
He snapped his fingers. “Mere practice. I wanted someone to practice on, otherwise I should have laughed in Bellamont’s face.”