"I'm afraid you'll get into serious trouble," he
said.
"I know," replied the young man, "but that blackguard Gurney--" His
voice rose to a shrill scream and choked him for a moment. Then
he went on quietly "But it's all over now. Finished! Done with!"
"I suppose you owed him money?"
The young man nodded. "He lives on fools like me. But he threatened
to tell my father, and now I've just about ruined him. Pah! Swine!"
"This won't be much better for your father," said Bennett gravely.
"No, it's worse; but perhaps it will help some of the others. He kept
on threatening and I couldn't wait any longer. Can't you see?"
Over the young man's shoulder the stars becked and nodded to Bennett
through the blindless window.
"I see," he said; "I see."
"So now you can take me."
Bennett looked doubtfully at the outstretched wrists. "You are only a
fool," he said, "a dreaming fool like me, and they will give you
years for this. I don't see why they should give a man years for
being a fool."
The young man looked up, taken with a sudden hope. "You will let me
go?" he said, in astonishment. "I know I was an ass just now. I
suppose I was a bit shaken. But you will let me go?"
"I wish to God I had never seen you!" said Bennett simply. "You have
your father, and I have a wife and three little children. Who shall
judge between us?"
"My father is an old man."
"And my children are little. You had better go before I make up my
mind.
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