"Gracious, no; he has been in the business quite a time; but I'm not going to give him away, never fear."
She laughed right out, while the girl winced.
"Where is he to be found?"
"I beg your pardon."
"I asked where is he to be found?"
"And you may ask; do you suppose I'd tell you? What, for you to give him away? He'd get--well, he'd get penal servitude for this alone; and then there's that Captain Draycott, or whatever is the name, to whom he owed one."
Again Miss Forster shivered; she glanced about her, as if fearful that the other's words had been overheard.
"What do you mean--about--Captain Draycott?"
"Why, of course you know it was he who did it; you don't want me to tell you that. You know what cause he had; it was he who put him in the cart at that little game of cards."
One could see that Violet Forster made an effort at self-control; but the hideous picture conjured up by the other's careless words was too much for her. She put her hands up to her face; she sank on to a chair, so helpless before the stress of emotion which seemed to be raging within that she sat swaying to and fro. The woman, still smiling, stood and watched; then she said, her voice seeming to be broken by laughter: