Besides, the doctor knew what lawyers were--the whole breed of 'em!
Sharp as needles--especially Henry--but with a sort of squint in their
upper storey that made 'em see every mortal thing from the point of view
of law. And that was no good to him. What he needed was a plain and
honest, a . . . he hesitated for a word and repeated, "a Honest
opinion;" for he only wanted to do the right thing, what was straight
and above board. And at last out it came: did "doc." think it would be
acting on the square, and not taking a low-down advantage of a female,
if he omitted to mention to "the future Mrs. O" that, up till six months
back, he had been obliged to . . . well, he'd spit it out short and say,
obliged to report himself to the authorities at fixed intervals? Women
were such shy cattle, so damned odd! You never knew how they'd take a
thing like this. One might raise Cain over it, another only laugh,
another send him packing. He didn't want to let a fine young woman like
Matilda slip if he could help it, by dad he didn't! But he felt he must
either win her by fair dealing or not at all. And having got the load
off his chest, the old colonist swallowed hard, and ran the back of his
hand over his forehead.
He had kept his eyes glued to the table-leg in speaking, and so saw
neither his hearer's involuntary start at the damaging disclosure, nor
the nervous tightening of the hand that lay along the arm of the chair.
Mahony sat silent, balancing a paper-knife, and fighting down a feeling
of extraordinary discomfort--his very finger-tips curled under the
strain.
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