You should not have made such demands--" "We won't go into that," said the other harshly, gripping his side with his claw-like hand.

His face was contorted by pain.

After a moment, he went on: "She's better than I thought, and so is that good-for-nothing brother of hers.

I shall never forgive this scoundrel Wade though.

He has been my servant, my slave for more than thirty years, and I know that he hasn't a shred of a conscience.