Then the breath came
through his teeth. He shook all over but the fit had passed. He
simply thrust her away from him.
"No," he said, "we cannot be friends! You are a woman without a
heart, you are a murderess!"
He tore her cheque calmly in pieces and flung them scornfully
away. She stood looking at him, breathing quickly, white to the
lips though the murder had gone from his eyes.
"Beatrice warned me," he went on; "Pritchard warned me. Some
things I saw for myself, but I suppose I was mad. Now I know!"
He turned away. Her eyes followed him wonderingly.
"Leonard," she cried out, "you are not going like this? You
don't mean it!"
Ever afterwards his restraint amazed him. He did not reply. He
closed both doors firmly behind him and walked to the lift. She
came even to the outside door and called down the corridor.
"Leonard, come back for one moment!"
He turned his head and looked at her, looked at her from the
corner of the corridor, steadfastly and without speech. Her
fingers dropped from the handle of the door. She went back into
her room with shaking knees, and began to cry softly. Afterwards
she wondered at herself. It was the first time she had cried for
many years.
Tavernake walked to the city and in less than half an hour's time
found himself in Mr. Martin's office. The lawyer welcomed him
warmly.
"I'm jolly glad to see you, Tavernake," he declared. "I hope
you've got the money. Sit down.
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