"I should like to know," I asked bluntly, "how much of my soul was
scotched by to-night's little adventure?"
Mr. Thomson stretched out his hand for the evening paper which the
waiter has just placed by his side.
"I do not wish to encourage curiosity," he remarked coldly. "Our bargain
renders any explanation on my part unnecessary. You had better read
aloud that item in the stop press news, however. It may allay your
qualms, if you are foolish enough to have any."