I went into the room again all shaken, wondering whether I had done right, whether Allen would hawk the letter about--a thousand vague apprehensions.
"Suddenly a knock at the street door.

My heart was in my mouth, still I went and opened it: a man named Cliburn was there.
"'I have come to you with a letter of Allen's.' "'I cannot be bothered any more,' I cried, 'about that letter; I don't care twopence about it.

Let him do what he likes with it.' "To my astonishment Cliburn said: "'Allen has asked me to give it back to you,' and he produced it.
"'Why does he give it back to me ?' I asked carelessly.
"'He says you were kind to him and that it is no use trying to "rent" you; you only laugh at us.' "I looked at the letter; it was very dirty, and I said: "'I think it is unpardonable that better care should not have been taken of a manuscript of mine.' "He said he was sorry; but it had been in many hands.

I took the letter up casually: "'Well, I will accept the letter back.

You can thank Mr.Allen for me.' "I gave Cliburn half a sovereign for his trouble, and said to him: "'I am afraid you are leading a desperately wicked life.' "'There's good and bad in every one of us,' he replied.