Still, though my stock died, and I could scarcely haul in the little wheat the frost and hail left me, with my worn-out team, I held on, feeling that I could achieve prosperity if I once had the chances of other men." He stopped a moment, and Macdonald poured out a glass of wine and passed it across to him in a fashion that made the significance of what he did evident.
"We know what kind of a struggle you made by what we have seen at Silverdale," he said.
Winston put the glass aside, and turned once more to Colonel Barrington.
"Still," he said, "until Courthorne crossed my path, I had done no wrong, and I was in dire need of the money that tempted me to take his offer.

He made a bargain with me that I should ride his horse and personate him, that the police troopers might leave him unsuspected to lead his comrades running whisky, while they followed me.

I kept my part of the bargain, and it cost me what I fancy I can never recover, unless the trial I shall shortly face will take the stain from me.
While I passed for him your lawyer found me, and I had no choice between being condemned as a criminal for what Courthorne had in the meanwhile done, or continuing the deception.

He had, as soon as I had left him, taken my horse and garments, so that if seen by the police they would charge me.

I could not take your money, but, though Courthorne was apparently drowned, I did wrong when I came to Silverdale.