What was Dick
Butler to him, what was his own life to him - if they should they
should demand it for the grave breach of duty he had committed by
his readiness to assist a proscribed offender to escape - compared
with the honour of Sylvia Armytage? And she, why had she done this
for him? Could it be possible that she cared, that she was concerned
so much for his life as to immolate her honour to deliver him from
peril? The event would seem to prove it. Yet the overmastering joy
that at any other time, and in any other circumstances, such a
revelation must have procured him, was stifled now by his agonised
concern for the injustice to which she had submitted herself.
And then, as he stood there, a suffering, bewildered man, came
Carruthers to grasp his hand and in terms of warm friendship to
express satisfaction at his acquittal.
"Sooner than have such a price as that paid - " he said bitterly,
and with a shrug left his sentence unfinished.
O'Moy came stalking past him, pale-faced, with eyes that looked
neither to right nor left.
"O'Moy!" he cried.
Sir Terence checked, and stood stiffly as if to attention, his
handsome blue eyes blazing into the captain's own. Thus a moment.
Then:
"We will talk of this again, you and I," he said grimly, and passed
on and out with clanking step, leaving Tremayne to reflect that the
appearances certainly justified Sir Terence's resentment.
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