'No--no--I think not.' There was agitation in the voice.
'Then you will come?'
'Yes, I will come.' Shergold spoke with unnecessary vehemence and laughed
oddly.
'What's the matter with you?' his friend asked.
'Nothing--the change of circumstances, I suppose. Let's get on. Let us go
somewhere--I can't help reproaching myself; I ought to feel or show a
decent sobriety; but what was the old fellow to me? I'm grateful to him.'
'There's nothing else on your mind?'
Shergold looked up, startled.
'What do you mean? Why do you ask?'
They stood together in the black shadow of an interval between two lamps.
After reflecting for a moment, Munden decided to speak.
'I called at your lodgings early to-day, and somehow I got into talk with
the girl. She was cheeky, and her behaviour puzzled me. Finally she made an
incredible announcement--that you had asked her to marry you. Of course
it's a lie?'
'To marry her?' exclaimed the listener hoarsely, with an attempt at
laughter. 'Do you think that likely--after all I have gone through?'
'No, I certainly don't. It staggered me. But what I want to know is, can
she cause trouble?'
'How do I know?--a girl will lie so boldly.
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