“Then there’s no more to be said”; and Jagger turned to his work.
Keturah had just lit the lamp when Maniwel knocked at the door and raised the latch in the familiar fashion of the country. Baldwin was sitting by the hearth smoking the one pipe in which he indulged himself of an evening. His eyebrows met in a scowl as he recognised his visitor and the tone in which he bade him enter was anything but cordial.
“It’s thee, is it? It’s long since tha was i’ this house afore.”
Involuntarily his speech broadened into the homelier dialect which both men had used to employ with each other in former days, and Maniwel followed suit.
“Aye,” he replied, “and I don’t know ’at I durst ha’ come, Baldwin, if it hadn’t been ’at I wor thrussen. But it’s a saying ’at trouble makes strange bedmates, and there’s trouble for both on us, lad. I’ one way happen it’s worse for me nor what it is for thee, for I stand to lose all I’ve saved; but I’m flayed tha’ll find it harder to bide, for tha drops from a bigger height.”
Whilst Maniwel was speaking a grey shade had spread over Baldwin’s face, though it was the tone in which the words were spoken rather than the words themselves that sent a chill to his heart. The scowl left his brow and his eyes widened, like the mouth that no longer offered its hospitality to the long, black clay, and he was dumb; unable to swear at the intruder or to bid him quicken his explanation—dumb with a foreboding that left him sick and helpless in the presence of his enemy.
“It’s all in t’ Evening Post,” Maniwel went on. He had not seated himself, but leaned against the dresser as if his stay was likely to be short; and Keturah was too concerned at the sight of her brother to remember the duties of hostess—“John Clegg’s made off, taking all wi’ him, and there’s a warrant out for his arrest——”
The cold statement of fact broke the spell like the touch of a fairy’s wand, and Baldwin jumped to his feet and snatched the paper from Maniwel’s hand.
“Tha’rt a liar!” he shouted. “—— tha for bringing thy black lies into my house! I won’t believe it if I see it i’ print——!” He was tearing the paper open as he spoke and his eyes fell at once upon the record that ran in heavy type across two columns.
“WELL-KNOWN MONEY-LENDER ABSCONDS!