"Throw that ring
out of the window and I promise to hold my tongue about any matter
you don't want spoke of. I'm not a fool--"
"Nor I," was my quick reply, as I restored the ring to my pocket.
"While that remains in my possession together with certain facts
concerning your habits in that old house of yours which have lately
been made known to me, your life hangs by a thread I can any minute
snip in two. Mr. Blake here, has spent some portion of a night in
your house and knows how near it lies to a certain precipice, at foot
of which--"
"Mein Gott, father, why don't you say something!" leaped in cowed
accents from the son's white lips. "If they want us to keep quiet,
let them say so and not go talking about things that--"
"Now look here," interposed Mr. Gryce stepping before them with a look
that closed their mouths at once. "I will just tell you what we
propose to do. You are to go back to prison and serve your time out,
there is no help for that, but as long as you behave yourselves and
continue absolutely silent regarding your relationship to the wife of
this gentleman, you shall have paid into a certain bank that he will
name, a monthly sum that upon your dismissal from jail shall be paid
you with whatever interest it may have accumulated. You are ready to
promise that, are you not?" he inquired turning to Mr.
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