Of High Descent Part 50

"What do you want?"

"Look here, old fellow; I've been waiting for you to come up--all these hours. What have you found out?"

"That John Van Heldre was robbed to-night of five hundred pounds in notes, and you have that money."

"I haven't, I tell you again, not a shilling of it. Look here, what about the police? Have they put it in their hands?"

"The police are trying to trace the money and the man who struck Van Heldre down. Where is that money? It must be restored."

"Then you must restore it, for I swear I haven't a single note. Hang it, man, have I ever played you false?"

Harry was silent. His old companion's persistence staggered him.

"I tell you once more, I went to the office to see if you had got the loan, and was knocked down. Curse it all! is this true or is it not?"

He placed his head close to the light, and Harry shuddered.

"Don't believe me unless you like. I wish I had never come near the place."

"I wish so too," said Harry coldly. "There, don't talk like that, man.

It has turned out a failure, unless you have got the coin--have you?"

"Have I?" said Harry with utter loathing in his voice. "No!"

"You can believe me or not, as you like, but I always was your friend, and always will be, come what may. Now, look here; we are safe to get the credit of this. If you didn't fell me, some one else did. Van Heldre, I suppose; and now some one must have knocked him down. Of course you'll say it wasn't you."

"No," said Harry coldly. "I shall not say it. I was by the safe, and he caught hold of me. In my horror I hit at him. I wish he had struck me dead instead."

"Don't talk like a fool. Now look here; the game's up and the world's wide. We can start at once, and get to St Dree's station in time to catch the up train; let's go and start afresh somewhere. You and I are safe to get on. Come."

Harry made no reply.

"I've packed up my bag, and I'm ready. Get a few things together, and let's go at once."

"Go--with you?"

"Yes. Look sharp. Every minute now is worth an hour."

Go with Pradelle! the man who had been his evil genius ever since they had first met. A feeling of revulsion, such as he had never felt before, came over Harry Vine, and with a voice full of repressed rage he cried:--

"I'd sooner give myself up to the police."

"Don't be a fool. I tell you to come at once. It's now half-past two.

Plenty of time."

"Then in Heaven's name go!" said Harry; "and never let me see your face again."

"You'll talk differently to-morrow. Will you; once more?"

"No."

"Then I'm off. What do you mean to do?"

"Wait."

"Wait?"

"Yes. I shall not try to escape. If they suspect me, let them take me.

I shall face it all."

"You'll soon alter your tune. Look here: I've been true to you; now you be true to me. Don't set the police on to me. No, you will not do that. You'll come after me; and mind this, you will always hear of me at the old lodgings, Great Ormond Street."

Harry stood gazing straight at him, believing, in spite of his doubts, that Pradelle had not taken the money.

The idea was strengthened.

"Look here; I've only three half-crowns. I can't go with that. How much have you?"

"Thirty shillings."

"Then come, and we'll share."

"No."

"Lend me half then. I'll manage with that."

For answer Harry thrust his hand into his pocket and took out all he had.

"What, all?" said Pradelle, as he took the money.

There was no reply.

"Once more. Will you come?"

Silence!

"Then I'm off."

Harry Vine stood gazing at vacancy, and once more tried to see his own path in the future, but all was dark.

One thing he did know, and that was that his path did not run side by side with Victor Pradelle's. His sister's words still rang in his ears; her kisses seemed yet to be clinging to his lips.

"No," he said at last, moodily; "I'll face what there is to come alone.

No," he groaned, "I could not face it, I dare not."

He started guiltily and scared, for there was the sound of a door closing softly.

He listened, and there was a step, but it was not inside the house, it was on the shingle path; and as he darted to the old bay window, he could see a shadowy figure hurrying down the path.