“Nay!  Nay!” he murmured deprecatingly.  All the harshness had melted out of his voice.

Then he stood up.

“I’d better hook it,” he said briefly.  “Will you get me my overcoat, missis.”

She comprehended that he wished to avoid speaking to Louis again that night, and, nodding, went at once to the parlour and brought away the overcoat.

“He’s going,” she muttered hastily to Louis, who was standing near the fire.  Leaving the parlour, she drew the door to behind her.

She helped Julian with his overcoat and preceded him to the front door.  She held out her hand to be tortured afresh, and suffered the grip of the vice with a steady smile.

“Now don’t forget,” she whispered.

Julian seemed to try to speak and to fail....  He was gone.  She carefully closed and bolted the door.

V

Louis had not followed Julian and Rachel into the back room because he felt the force of an instinct to be alone with his secret satisfaction.  In those moments it irked him to be observed, and especially to be observed by Rachel, not to mention Julian.  He was glad for several reasons—­on account of his relief, on account of the windfall of money, and perhaps most of all on account of the discovery that he was not the only thief in the family.  The bizarre coincidence which had divided the crime about equally between himself and Julian amused him.  His case and Julian’s were on a level.  Nevertheless, he somewhat despised Julian, patronized him, condescended to him.  He could not help thinking that Julian was, after all, a greater sinner than himself.  Never again could Julian look him (Louis) in the face as if nothing had happened.  The blundering Julian was marked for life, by his own violent, unreasonable hand.  Julian was a fool.

Rachel entered rather solemnly.

“Has he really gone?” Louis asked.  Rachel did not care for her husband’s tone, which was too frivolous for her.  She was shocked to find that Louis had not been profoundly impressed by the events of the night.

“Yes,” she said.

“What’s he done with the money?”

“He’s left it in the other room.”  She would not disclose to Louis that Julian had restored the notes to the top of the cupboard, because she was afraid that he might treat the symbolic act with levity.

“All of it?”

“Yes.  I’ll bring it you.”

She did so.  Louis counted the notes and casually put them in his breast pocket.

“Oddest chap I ever came across!” he observed, smiling.

“But aren’t you sorry for him?” Rachel demanded.

“Yes,” said Louis airily.  “I shall insist on his taking half, naturally.”

“I’m going to bed,” said Rachel.  “You’ll see all the lights out.”

She offered her face and kissed him tepidly.

“What’s come over the kid?” Louis asked himself, somewhat disconcerted, when she had gone.