The Colonel knew that he had a determined man to deal with, and he believed, moreover, that he had spoken the truth.

Still, the fellow, although in some respects to be pitied, was obviously a dangerous rascal, embittered and robbed of all scruples by injustice.
There was something malignant in his face that testified against him; but, worse than all, he had come there resolved to extort money as the price of his connivance in a wrong.
"Well ?" Clarke said, breaking the pause.
"So far as I can judge, your ultimate object's creditable; but I can't say as much for the means you are ready to employ in raising the money.
If you go on with the scheme, it must be without any help of mine." Clarke's face grew hard, and there was something forbidding in the way he knitted his brows.
"Have you gaged the consequences of your refusal ?" "It's more to the purpose that I've tried to estimate the importance of your version of what happened during the night attack.

It has one fatal weakness which you seem to have overlooked." "Ah!" said Clarke, with ironical calm.

"You will no doubt mention it ?" "You suggest Blake's innocence.

You cannot prove it in the face of his own denial." To Challoner's surprise, Clarke smiled.
"So you have seen that! The trouble is that your nephew may never have an opportunity for denying it.