He was deep, after all. Not until the two left did I
learn that Belknap-Jackson awaited them with his car. He loitered
about in adjacent doorways, quite like a hired fellow. He was
passionately smoking more cigarettes than were good for him.
I escorted my guests to the car. Belknap-Jackson took his seat with
but one glance at me, yet it was eloquent of all the ignominy that had
been heaped upon him.
"Home, I think," said the lady when they were well seated. She said it
charmingly.
"Home," repeated his lordship. "Are you quite protected by the robe?"
An incautious pedestrian at the next crossing narrowly escaped being
run down. He shook a fist at the vanishing car and uttered a stream of
oaths so vile that he would instantly have been taken up in any
well-policed city.
Half an hour later Belknap-Jackson called me.
"He got out with that fiend! He's staying on there. But, my God! can
nothing be done?"
"His lordship is playing a most desperate game," I hastened to assure
him. "He's meeting difficulties. She must have her dupe's letters in
her possession. Blackmail, I dare say. Best leave his lordship free.
He's a deep character."
"He presumed far this afternoon--only the man's position saved him
with me!" His voice seemed choked with anger.
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