He
said nothing; but he looked less sullenly at Mrs. Lecount. His manner
was more ingratiating; the high tide of his courage was already on the
ebb.
"Your position, sir, must be as plain by this time to you as it is to
me," said Mrs. Lecount. "There is only one obstacle now left between
this woman and the attainment of her end. _That obstacle is your life._
After the discovery we have made upstairs, I leave you to consider for
yourself what your life is worth."
At those terrible words, the ebbing resolution in him ran out to the
last drop. "Don't frighten me!" he pleaded; "I have been frightened
enough already." He rose, and dragged his chair after him, round the
table to Mrs. Lecount's side. He sat down and caressingly kissed her
hand. "You good creature!" he said, in a sinking voice. "You excellent
Lecount! Tell me what to do. I'm full of resolution--I'll do anything to
save my life!"
"Have you got writing materials in the room, sir?" asked Mrs. Lecount.
"Will you put them on the table, if you please?"
While the writing materials were in process of collection, Mrs. Lecount
made a new demand on the resources of her traveling-bag. She took two
papers from it, each indorsed in the same neat commercial handwriting.
Pages:
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919