To think
that Thomas--"
"That's all right, Mrs. Barnes, I quite acquit you."
"Not Barnes. Pill I am again, and Mrs. Pill I'll be to the
end of my days. To think Thomas should be a blackguard. Pill
drank, I don't deny, but he didn't forge and coin, and--"
"Wasn't clever enough, perhaps," said Hale from the bed in a
weak voice, "oh, there you are, Jennings. Get that fool out
of the room and listen to what I have to tell you. I haven't
much time. I am going fast."
Jennings induced Mrs. Pill, as she now insisted on being
called, to leave the room. Then he sat down on the bed beside
the dying man. Atkins remained at the door, and the doctor
seated himself by Hale's head with a glass of brandy. It
might be needed for the revival of Hale, who, having lost much
blood, was terribly weak. But the poor wretch was bent upon
confession, and even told his story with pride.
"You had a job to take us, Jennings," he said with a weak
chuckle. "I don't know how you found us out though."
"It's too long a story to tell. But, first of all, tell me
did Maraquito come here to-night?"
"No. Are you after her?"
"Yes, I know she isn't an invalid."
"Ah, she diddled you there," said Hale with another chuckle,
"a very clever woman is Maraquito. I wished to marry her, but
now I'm done for. After all, I'm not sorry, since my pals are
taken. But I did think I'd have been able to go to South
America and marry Maraquito.
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