And when I do
find him I swear to you that there will be no such thing as time wasted,
or mercy."
I shuddered. In all my life I had never known such a moment of
indecision. Should I tell him? My conscience would give me no definite
reply. The question had haunted me all the night, and I had lost my way
in consequence, nor had the morning's ride from the Widow Brown's
sufficed to bring me to a decision. Of what use to tell him? Would
Riddle's death mend matters? The woman loved him, that had been clear to
me; yet, by telling Nick what I knew I might induce him to desist from
his search, and if I did not tell, Nick might some day run across the
trail, follow it up, take Riddle's life, and lose his own. The moment,
made for confession as it was, passed.
"They have ruined my life," said Nick. "I curse him, and I curse her."
"Hold!" I cried; "she is your mother."
"And therefore I curse her the more," he said. "You know what she is,
you've tasted of her charity, and you are my father's nephew. If you
have been without experience, I will tell you what she is. A common--"
I reached out and put my hand across his mouth.
"Silence!" I cried; "you shall say no such thing. And have you not
manhood enough to make your own life for yourself?"
"Manhood!" he repeated, and laughed. It was a laugh that I did not like.
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