In an access of nervous self-consciousness, the old man's voice trailed to an uncertain pause; and Varney comforted him with a burst of bewildered laughter.
"Forgive my glassy stare--no offence intended, but my head's going around, Mr. Higginson! It's all still nebulous, you know--topsy-turvy--incredible! That day of the luncheon, now--the mysterious warning--the bribe to Ferguson to smash up the yacht--"
A fine flush spread over the old man's face to the roots of his silvered hair. Yet it was obvious that the young man's unaffected cordiality had heartened him immensely.
"Well, you see, my dear boy," he began, embarrassedly, "by that time I had met her--she was so sweet to me from the start--and I began to hope that such heroic, such painful, measures might not be necessary. Yet perhaps they would be, after all, and so--ah, I did wrong, I know--wrong!--and yet--don't you see how inevitably it all came about? I did not dare communicate with you, begging you to let matters stand a few days--fearing that upon learning of my presence you would simply abandon the commission entirely, and God knows you would have been justified in doing so. Yet I longed to postpone the--the final step, holding it in reserve, in the ardent hope that it might be avoided entirely. So I--gave instructions to Ferguson. It was wrong not to trust you, and oh, I have been punished for it, suffered miserably--"
"_Dear_ sir! I'm so sorry! But that is all past now--all past--and to-day all's right with the world!"
The old man's hands tightened their earnest clasp. Tears sprang suddenly into his fine eyes.
"But oh, I have been richly blest, too--far beyond my deserts! The night that you were hurt--I came quite unexpectedly face to face with Mrs. Carstairs at the cottage. We had a long talk that night--a wonderful talk, which gave me a totally new point of view, brought me new light and peace. And now--everything is arranged, and if you have truly forgiven me, I am happy as I never dreamed for happiness again."
"Forgiven you! For what, dear sir? Why, don't you begin to guess yet what you have done for me?"
He tucked the old man's hand masterfully under his arm, and drew him to the door.
"God bless you, boy, for what _you've_ done for me and mine. But--where--where are we going?"