were leniently dealt with now, tomorrow, when, sober, he came to
realize the grossness of the thing he had done and the unlikelihood
of its being forgiven him, there was no saying but that to protect
himself he might betray Wilding's share in the plot that was being
hatched. That in itself would be bad enough; but there might be worse,
for he could scarcely betray Wilding without betraying others and - what
mattered most - the Cause itself. He must be dealt with out of hand,
Trenchard opined, and dealt with ruthlessly.

"I think, Anthony," said he, "that we have had words enough. Shall
you be disposing of Mr. Westmacott to-morrow, or must I be doing it
for you?"

With a gasp of dismay young Richard twisted in his chair to confront
this fresh and unsuspected antagonist. What danger was this that he
had overlooked? Then, even as he turned, Wilding's voice fell on his
ear, and each word of the few he spoke was like a drop of icy water
on Westmacott's overheated brain.

"I protest you are vastly kind, Nick. But I intend, myself, to have
the pleasure of killing Mr. Westmacott." And his smile fell now in
mockery upon the disillusioned lad.

Crushed by that bolt from the blue, Richard sat as if stunned, the
flush receding from his face until his very lips were livid. The shock
had sobered him, and, sobered, he realized in terror what he had done.
And yet even sober he was amazed to find that the staff upon which with
such security he had leaned should have proved rotten. True he had put
much strain upon it; but then he had counted that it would stand much
strain.