There was one present who knew what was in Joe’s mind as he bent his head before his wife, unable to speak, though his lips moved as they formed the word “forgive.”
To cover Joe’s terrible confusion Eric made some remark appropriate to the occasion, and of a nature to create a laugh.
This answered the purpose and presently the good people were chatting gaily.
Joe soon found occasion to seek his friend Eric, and squeeze his hand until the detective winced under the pressure.
“Thank heaven, Eric, for this blessing. All is bright again. I have the dearest wife in all New York to-night. Tried and found true.”
“And she has a deuced fine sister too,” said Eric with a wink.
“That’s the way the land lies, eh? Try it, old fellow. Nothing would suit me better; we would be brothers in truth then. And I declare, now that I come to think of it, I believe you two would make a fine match.”
“Nonsense, Joe. When Miss Marian hears that I am a detective she will shrink from me. People honor judges who sentence people to death, sometimes innocently, and great lawyers, who are often on the side of criminals, but at the same time pretend to look down on the officers of the law whose sagacity leads them to arrest those who break the statutes of the state.”
“I don’t know about that—she adores a hero in any type.”
“Come, don’t you go to making me out as such—I’m only an every-day chap and never expect to do anything heroic.”