Page:Richard Marsh--The goddess a demon.djvu/74

62 can manage it, don't wear quite such an air of gravity. This affair of poor Lawrence's seems to have affected you even more than it has me—which is odd." "It is odd."

"Because I had always supposed that he was a more intimate acquaintance of mine than yours."

"Such seems to have been the case. How much did you owe him?"

"Owe him! Hume, you seem disposed to ask some very odd questions."

"You think so? When a person is suspected of a crime, the first thing one looks for is a motive; you understand?"

"I understand your bare words, but what is behind your bare words I do not understand."

"Presently you will. Before we part I will endeavour to make myself sufficiently plain. I repeat my question: How much did you owe him?"

"Nothing."

"You lie."

"Hume, that is the second time you have used such language to me this morning, and the second time I have refrained from knocking you down."

"That is true. Perhaps my turn will come