CHAPTER III

I ACCEPT THE OFFER

I do not know how others might have looked upon such a proposition as
this, but it never occurred to me at the time to doubt the honesty of
Vail's statement, nor could I perceive any great wrong in the action so
calmly proposed. This was Philip Henley's property; his father
undoubtedly intended he should inherit it, and the poor devil was
utterly unable to comply with the terms of the will. The very fact
that he possessed sufficient pride to part with the inheritance rather
than openly reveal his disgrace, appealed strongly. That sort of
fellow must have a strain of manhood in him. If I could serve him,
save the property for him, at almost no danger to myself, and make a
tidy sum of money doing it, why shouldn't I consent? I saw no reason
for refusal. To be sure the method was not lawful, yet was advised by
a lawyer, and agreed to by the administrators. Besides, the keeping of
a few promiscuous charities out of such a gift did not seem especially
wrong--I knew nothing, cared nothing for their loss. They were but
names of no significance. Vail, watching the expression of my face in
the light, seemed to divine my thoughts.

"Evidently you are recovering your good sense," he remarked easily.
"There is no use acting like a fool in a matter of this kind. You are
lucky to fall into such a chance. You 'll act, I take it?"

"Yes," the word was out almost before I was aware of speaking.

"Sensible decision, my man," his face lighting up. "Now there is no