He even went so
far as go down to Kempton with me."
"And how did it all end?"
"I determined to keep my eye on this young whipper-snapper, and come up
from Ascot by an earlier train than they expected me. I let myself in and
ran up to the drawing-room. They were there sitting side by side on the
sofa. I could see they were very much upset. The young fellow turned red,
and he got up, stammering, and speaking a lot of rot.
"'What! you back already? How did you get on at Ascot? Had a good day?'
"'Rippin'; but I'm going to have a better one now,' I said, keeping my eye
all the while on my wife. I could see by her face that there was no doubt
about it. Then I took him by the throat. 'I just give you two minutes to
confess the truth; I know it, but I want to hear it from you. Now, out
with it, or I'll strangle you.' I gave him a squeeze just to show him that
I meant it. He turned up his eyes, and my wife cried, 'Murder!' I threw
him back from me and got between her and the door, locked it, and put the
key in my pocket. 'Now,' I said, 'I'll drag the truth out of you both.' He
did look white, he shrivelled up by the chimney-piece, and she--well, she
looked as if she could have killed me, only there was nothing to kill me
with. I saw her look at the fire-irons. Then, in her nasty sarcastic way,
she said, 'There's no reason, Percy, why he shouldn't know.
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