The Black Moth

"Come, sit ye down, Jack, and let me have the whole story!"

My lord divested himself of his long cloak and shook out his hithertotucked-up ruffles. From the pocket of his elegant scarlet riding coat hedrew a snuff-box, which he opened languidly. With his eyes restingquizzically on O'Hara's face, he took a delicate pinch of snuff andminced across the room.

Miles laughed.

"What's this?"

"This, my dear friend, is Sir Anthony Ferndale, Bart.!" He bowed withgreat flourish.

"Ye look it. But come over here, Sir Anthony Ferndale, Bart., and tellme everything."

Jack perched on the edge of the desk and swung his leg.

"Well really, I do not think there is much to tell that you do notalready know, Miles. You know all about Dare's card-party, for instance,precisely six years ago?"

"'Tis just exactly what I do not know!" retorted O'Hara.

"You surprise me! I thought the tale was rife."

"Now, Jack, will ye have done drawling at me? Don't be forgetting I'myour friend--"

"But are you? If you know the truth about me, do you feel inclined tocall me friend?"

"There never was a time when I would not have been proud to call yefriend, as ye would very well have known, had ye been aught but a damnedyoung hothead! I heard that crazy tale about the card-party, but do yethink I believed it?"

"It was the obvious thing to do."

"Maybe, but I fancy I know ye just a little too well to believe anycock-and-bull story I'm told about ye. And even if I had been foolenough to have believed it, do ye think I'd be going back on ye? Sure,'tis a poor friend I'd be!"

Jack stared down at the toe of his right boot in silence.

"I know something more than we guessed happened at that same party, andI have me suspicions, but 'tis your affair, and whatever ye did ye hadyour reasons for. But, Jack, why in the name of wonder must ye fly offto the devil alone knows where, without so much as a good-bye toanyone?"

Carstares never raised his eyes from the contemplation of that boot. Hespoke with difficulty.

"Miles--in my place--would you not have done the same?"

"Well--"

"You know you would. Was it likely that I should inflict myself on youat such a time? What would you have thought of me had I done so?"

O'Hara brought his hand down smartly on the other's knee.

"I'd have thought ye less of a young fool! I would have gone away withye, and nothing would have stopped me!"

Jack looked up and met his eyes.

"I know," he said. "'Twas the thought of that--and--and--I could not besure. How should I know whether you would even receive me? Lastnight--last night--I was horribly afraid...."

The hand on his knee tightened.

"Ye foolish boy! Ye foolish boy!"

Bit by bit he drew the story of the past six years out of Carstares, andthough it was a very modified version, Miles understood his friend wellenough to read between the lines.

"And now," said Jack, when the recital was over, "tell me aboutyourself. When did you marry the attractive lady whom I have just beenkissing?"

"Ye rogue! I married Molly three years ago. 'Tis a real darling she is,isn't she? And upstairs there's a little chap--your godson."