For if Windle Bent was going on the game of making out that he was a man of family, he certainly would not relish the prospect of uniting his ancient blood with that of a man who had seen the inside of a prison.
Kitely!--promptly and definitely--and for _good_!--that was the ticket.
Cotherstone went off into the shadows of the night--and a good hour had passed when he returned to his house.

It was then ten o'clock; he afterwards remembered that he glanced at the old grandfather clock in his hall when he let himself in.

All was very quiet in there; he opened the drawing-room door to find the two young men and Lettie sitting over a bright fire, and Brereton evidently telling the other two some story, which he was just bringing to a conclusion.
" ...

for it's a fact, in criminal practice," Brereton was saying, "that there are no end of undiscovered crimes--there are any amount of guilty men going about free as the air, and----" "Hope you've been enjoying yourselves," said Cotherstone, going forward to the group.

"I've been as quick as I could." "Mr.Brereton has been telling us most interesting stories about criminals," said Lettie.