"How did you manage it?" inquired Sir Bernard Debenham.
"Have you killed him?" asked Raffles sardonically.
I did not look at him; I turned to Sir Bernard Debenham, and to him I
told my story, hoarsely, excitedly, for it was all that I could do to
keep from breaking down. But as I spoke I became calmer, and I
finished in mere bitterness, with the remark that another time Raffles
might tell me what he meant to do.
"Another time!" he cried instantly. "My dear Bunny, you speak as
though we were going to turn burglars for a living!"
"I trust you won't," said Sir Bernard, smiling, "for you are certainly
two very daring young men. Let us hope our friend from Queensland will
do as he said, and not open his map-case till he gets back there. He
will find my check awaiting him, and I shall be very much surprised if
he troubles any of us again."
Raffles and I did not speak till I was in the room which had been
prepared for me. Nor was I anxious to do so then. But he followed me
and took my hand.
"Bunny," said he, "don't you be hard on a fellow! I was in the deuce
of a hurry, and didn't know that I should ever get what I wanted in
time, and that's a fact. But it serves me right that you should have
gone and undone one of the best things I ever did. As for YOUR
handiwork, old chap, you won't mind my saying that I didn't think you
had it in you. In future--"
"Don't talk to me about the future!" I cried. "I hate the whole thing!
I'm going to chuck it up!"
"So am I," said Raffles, "when I've made my pile."