So that when I heard of Bobby's death I was glad to jump the rest, and
that's what I made up my mind to do.
But, like a blasted lubber, now that I COULD do it and cut right away,
I must needs think that I'd like first to see Bill on the sly, without
letting on to any one else, and tell him what I was going to do. I'd no
fear that he'd object, or that he'd hesitate a minute to fall in with my
plan of dropping my name and my game, and giving him full swing, while I
stood out to sea and the South Pacific, and dropped out of his mess for
the rest of my life. Perhaps I wanted to set his mind at rest, if he'd
ever had any doubts; perhaps I wanted to have a little fun out of him
for his d----d previousness; perhaps, lad, I had a hankering to see the
old place for the last time. At any rate, I allowed to go to Dornton
Hall. I timed myself to get there about the hour you left, to keep
out of sight until I knew he was returning from the horse show, and to
waylay him ALONE and have our little talk without witnesses. I daren't
go to the Hall, for some of the old servants might recognize me.
I went down there with Jack Redhill, and we separated at the station. I
hung around in the fog. I even saw you pass with Sibyl in the dogcart,
but you didn't see me. I knew the place, and just where to hide where
I could have the chance of seeing him alone. But it was a beastly job
waiting there. I felt like a d----d thief instead of a man who was
simply visiting his own. Yet, you mayn't believe me, lad, but I hated
the place and all it meant more than ever. Then, by and by, I heard him
coming. I had arranged it all with myself to get into the yew hedge, and
step out as he came to the garden entrance, and as soon as he recognized
me to get him round the terrace into the summer house, where we could
speak without danger.
I heard the groom drive away to the stable with the cart, and, sure
enough, in a minute he came lurching along toward the garden door. He
was mighty unsteady on his pins, and I reckon he was more than half
full, which was a bad lookout for our confab. But I calculated that the
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