“You won’t turn me off and deliver me into the hands of the officers?”
“I don’t understand you. No, of course I won’t do anything of that kind. You are a friend of Leonard Lester, and his friends are my friends. Come, sit down here.”
Mr. Duncan took a chair, and Carlos sat in another near him.
“Yes, I will tell you all. But, first, are we in danger of interruption?”
“None whatever. But wait.”
He stepped to the door and locked it, and returned to his seat again.
“There. Now out with your story. I see you are in trouble. Let me hear what it is.”
Thus commanded, Carlos gave a faithful account of theterrible experience he had passed through since the Monday on which he and Leonard had set their feet in Dalton. He omitted no important particular, and concluded by relating the unexpected means of escape that had been offered him, and his night journey to New York.
Mr. Duncan evinced considerable excitement during the recital. He rose, stared at the narrator, uttered an exclamation or two, and finally sat down, planted his hands on his knees, and drank in every word.
“Well, upon my soul, this is marvelous!” he exclaimed, vehemently, on the conclusion of the narrative. “I never heard the like.”