"Then, what possessed her to tell you all this to-night?"
"Simply because I was an old friend, and the only one at hand,
I presume."
"And you do not look for any reward of your services, of course?"
"I wish for none, Sir, but her relief."
"Well, it don't signify," said Thorn, with a mixture of expressions in his face "if I believed you, which I don't it don't signify a hair what you do, when once this matter is known. I should never think of advancing my pretensions into a felon's family."
"You know that the lady in whose welfare you take so much interest will in that case suffer aggravated distress as having been the means of hindering Mr. Rossitur's escape."
"Can't help it," said Thorn, beating the table with a ruler; "so she has; she must suffer for it. It isn't my fault."
"You are willing, then, to abide the consequences of a full disclosure of all the circumstances? for part will not come out without the whole."
"There is happily nobody to tell them," said Thorn, with a sneer.
"Pardon me they will not only be told, but known thoroughly in all the circles in this country that know Mr. Thorn's name."