46
THE AUTHOR OF "TRIXIE"
medicine, Archdeacon, for you've gone too far to turn back."
"What do you mean by that?" the Archdeacon enquired.
"Why," said Dunkle, "I mean that if you don't accept my terms, I'll give you away to the journalists, that's all. Be pleased to remember that I've read quite two-thirds of your novel and that the manuscript, all in your handwriting, is still in my possession."
The Archdeacon could not turn pale; so he turned purple.
"But," he shouted indignantly, "you can't do that, you know. You gave me your word of honour as a gentleman."
"So I did," Dunkle agreed, "but that was before I knew that you wanted to do business with me. The moment you turned what I imagined to be an after-luncheon chat into what you wanted to
