220          The  Doctor  of  Pimlico

'  You  know  that  best  yourself,"  was  Weir-
marsh's  brusque  reply.
"  To  you  I  owe  all  my  recent  troubles,"  the
elder  man  declared.  "  Because — because,"  he
added  bitterly,  "  you  bought  me  up  body  and
soul."

"A  mere  business  arrangement,  wasn't  it,
Sir  Hugh?  "  remarked  his  visitor.  "  Of  course,
I'm  very  sorry  if  any  great  trouble  has  fallen
upon  you  on  my  account.  I  hope,  for  instance,
you  do  not  suspect  me  of  conspiring  to  denounce
your  son-in-law,"  he  added.
*  Well,  I  don't  know,"  was  the  other's  reply;
"  yet  I  feel  that,  in  view  of  this  contretemps,  I
must  in  future  break  off  all  connection  with
you."

"  And  lose  the  annual  grant  which  you  find
so  extremely  useful?"

"  I  shall  be  compelled  to  do  without  it.  And,
at  least,  I  shall  have  peace  of  mind."

"  Perhaps,"  remarked  the  other  meaningly.
Sir  Hugh  realised  that  this  man  intended
still  to  hold  him  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand.  From
that  one  false  step  he  had  taken  years  ago  he  had
never  been  able  to  draw  back.
Hour  by  hour,  and  day  by  day,  had  his  con-
science pricked  him.  Those  chats  with  the  doc-


The  Widened  Breach  221

tor  in  that  grimy  little  consulting-room  in  Pim-
lico  remained  ever  in  his  memory.
The  doctor  was  the  representative  of  those
who  held  him  in  their  power — persons  who  were
being  continually  hunted  by  the  police,  yet  who
always  evaded  them — criminals  all!  To  insult
him  would  be  to  insult  those  who  had  paid  him  so
well  for  his  confidential  services.
Yet,  filled  with  contempt  for  himself,  he
asked  whether  he  did  not  deserve  to  be  degraded
publicly,  and  drummed  out  of  the  army.
