"
"I did chastise him somewhat severely, I remember. But I learned
something more of his villainy from Barbara, as we drove away, and I
returned next day to give him another dose but found him in bed
bandaged like a mummy and this Clegg fellow of yours beside him. I
learned afterwards that he was friend to that same scoundrel Barbara's
father was forcing the sweet soul to marry, damn him!"
"The world seems full of unhanged villains!" said I, through shut
teeth.
"Oh, is it, begad?"
"It is!"
"You're devilish gloomy, Perry."
"I fear I am."
"All stomach, ye know, dear fellow. I've noticed this poor old world
is generally blamed most damnably, purely because of the night of the
morning after--more especially upon an empty--"
"Don't say it again, Anthony, for heaven's sake!"
"But you're curst gloomy and devilish doleful--"
"Anthony, dear man, while you were snoring blissfully this morning I
watched a poor, beautiful young creature dragged out of the river."
"Dead, Perry?"
"Yes. She was probably drowning herself last night while we drank and
rioted--poor despairing child!" and here I described the dreadful
incident very fully. "You have never met or heard of any one named
Haredale, have you, Anthony?" I ended.
"No," he answered, "no! Gad, Perry," he burst out with a vicious twirl
of his cane, "there are times when killing is a laudable act!" After
this we walked in silence for some time.
"Where are we going?" he questioned suddenly.
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