"It is not your fault," she assured me; "only I am a little annoyed with
my father."
"Why?"
"I think," she went on, "it is perfectly delightful that he should have
made your acquaintance. It isn't that at all. But I do not think he should
have made use of you in the way he did. He is utterly reckless sometimes
and forgets what he is doing. It is all very well for himself, but he has
no right to expose you to--to--"
"To what risk did he expose me?" I demanded. "Tell me, Miss Parker--was he
absolutely honest when he told me he was an adventurer?"
"Absolutely!"
"Was I, then, an accomplice in anything illegal to-night?"
"Worse than illegal--criminal!" she told me.
Now my father had been a judge and I had a brother who was a barrister;
but the madness was upon me and I spoke quickly and convincingly.
"Then all I have to say about it is that I am glad!" I declared.
"Why?" she murmured, looking at me wonderingly.
"Because he is your father and I have helped him," I answered under my
breath.
For a few moments she was silent. She looked at me however; and as I
watched her eyes grow softer I suddenly held out my hand, and for a moment
she suffered hers to rest in it. Then she drew away a little.
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