“But the danger is real enough, and pretty ugly.”
“Life isn’t so wholly delightful to me just at present that I wouldn’t risk it in a good cause.”
“But this is a bigger risk than life. There’s an enterprise forward which, if it fails, means the utter damning of reputation. What do you say?”
“Kent,” said Sedgwick after a moment’s thought, “I’m thirty-two years old. Ten years ago I’d have said ‘yes’ at the drop of the question. Perhaps I value my life less and my good name more, than I did then. What’s the inducement?”
“The probable clearing up of the case we’re on.”
“Is that all the information I get?”
“I’d rather not tell you any more at present. It would only get on your nerves and unfit you for the job.”
Again Sedgwick fell into thought.
“When I come to tackle it,” continued Kent, “I may find that one man could do it alone. But—”
“Wait. You’re going into it, are you?”