Strona 316 z 657

"If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said

he, "of course you can hardly avoid publicity. On the other hand,

if you convince the police authorities that there is no possible

case against you, I do not know that there is any reason that the

details should find their way into the papers. Inspector

Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you

might tell us and submit it to the proper authorities. The case

would then never go into court at all."

"God bless you!" cried the prisoner passionately. "I would have

endured imprisonment, ay, even execution, rather than have left

my miserable secret as a family blot to my children.