'There may be no choice in a minute or two.'
'I'll go with you now; I'll follow you where you go to get the
money!'
'No, you won't. Either you trust me or you refuse. You've a free
choice, Clara. I tell you plainly I want little Jack, and I'm not
going to lose him if I can help it.'
'Have you any other children?'
'No--never had.'
At least he had not been deceiving her in the matter of Jack. She
knew that he had constantly come home at early hours only for the
sake of playing with the boy.
'I'll go with you. No one shall see that I'm following you.'
'It's impossible. I shall have to go post haste in a cab. I've
half-a-dozen places to go to. Meet me on Westminster Bridge at one.
I may be a few minutes later, but certainly not more than
half-an-hour.'
He went to the window and looked uneasily up and down the street.
Clara pressed her hands upon her head and stared at him like one
distracted.
'Where is she?' came from her involuntarily.
'Don't be a fool, woman!' he replied, walking to the door. She
sprang to hold him. Instead of repulsing her, he folded his arm
about her waist and kissed her lips two or three times.
'I can get thousands of pounds,' he whispered. 'We'll be off before
they have a trace. It's for Jack's sake, and I'll be kind to you as
well, old woman.
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