“God help you!” The angry scorn in Miller's voice burned like vitriol. “God help you! you selfish villain and coward! You pursued her! You hounded her. You made your own temptation—and hers. And afterward you left her to bear a lifetime of shame—to kill herself if she couldn't stand it. When I think of you, smug liar and hell hound, I know that killing isn't good enough for you.”
“Steady, old man,” counseled Jeff.
Miller began to tremble violently. Tears gathered in his eyes and coursed down his fat cheeks. “And I can't stamp him out. I can't expose him without hurting her worse. I've got to stand it without touching him.”
Faintly Jeff smiled. James did not look quite untouched. He was a much battered statue of virtue, his large dignity for once torn to shreds.
Miller flung himself down heavily in a chair and buried his face in his hands. James began to talk, and as he talked his fluency came back to him.
“It's the only stain on my life record... the only one. My life has been an open book but for that. I was only a boy—and I made a slip. Ought that to spoil my whole life, a splendid career of usefulness for the city and the state? Ought I to be branded for that one error?”
Miller looked up whitely. “Shut up, you liar! If it had been a slip you would have stood by her, you would have married the girl you had ruined. But you left her—to death or worse. She was loyal to you. She kept your secret, you damned villain. I wrung it out of her to-day when I went home only by pretending that I knew.... And you let Jeff bear the blame of it without saying a word. I know now why her name wasn't unearthed by the reporters. You killed the story because you were afraid the truth would leak out. You haven't a straight hair in your head. You sold out Jeff's bill. You're for yourself first and last, no matter who pays the price.”
“That's your interpretation of my career. But what does Verden think of me? No man stands higher among the best people of the community.”
“To hell with you and your best people. I say you're nothing but a whited sepulchre,” snarled Miller.
Suddenly he reached for his hat and left the office. He was stifling.