"Don't ask me, Raffles. Don't ask me, for God's sake!"

"Yet you said you would do anything for me! You asked me to name
my crime! But I knew at the time you didn't mean it; you didn't
go back on me to-night, and that ought to satisfy me, goodness
knows! I suppose I'm ungrateful, and unreasonable, and all that.
I ought to let it end at this. But you're the very man for me,
Bunny, the--very--man! Just think how we got through to-night.
Not a scratch--not a hitch! There's nothing very terrible in it,
you see; there never would be, while we worked together."

He was standing in front of me with a hand on either shoulder; he
was smiling as he knew so well how to smile. I turned on my
heel, planted my elbows on the chimney-piece, and my burning head
between my hands. Next instant a still heartier hand had fallen
on my back.

"All right, my boy! You are quite right and I'm worse than
wrong. I'll never ask it again. Go, if you want to, and come
again about mid-day for the cash. There was no bargain; but, of
course, I'll get you out of your scrape--especially after the way
you've stood by me to-night."

I was round again with my blood on fire.

"I'll do it again," I said, through my teeth.

He shook his head. "Not you," he said, smiling quite
good-humoredly on my insane enthusiasm.