Page:The Works of H G Wells Volume 7.pdf/407

 "I hate telling you these things. It is you If you didn't mind But you make it all different. I could do it―if it wasn't for you. I was I was helping I had gone meaning to help if anything went wrong at Mr. Lagune's. Yes―that night. No don't! It was too hard before to tell you. But I really did not feel it until I saw you there. Then all at once I felt shabby and mean."

"Well?" said Lewisham.

"That's all. I may have done thought-reading, but I have never really cheated since―never If you knew how hard it is"

"I wish you had told me that before."

"I couldn't. Before you came it was different. He used to make fun of the people―used to imitate Lagune and make me laugh. It seemed a sort of joke." She stopped abruptly. "Why did you ever come on with me? I told you not to―you know I did."

She was near wailing. For a minute she was silent.

"I can't go to his sister's," she cried. "I may be a coward―but I can't."

Pause. And then Lewisham saw his solution straight and clear. Suddenly his secret desire had become his manifest duty.

"Look here," he said, not looking at her and pulling his moustache. "I won't have you doing any more of that damned cheating. You shan't soil yourself any more. And I won't have you leaving London."