“No, no,” I said. “Don’t take an exaggerated view of things. The responsibility

for her death doesn’t lie at your door.”

 

“The question is, what am I to do now? The poor lady is dead. Why rake up past

trouble?”

 

“I rather agree with you,” I said.

 

“But there’s another point. How am I to get hold of that scoundrel who drove her

to death as surely as if he’d killed her. He knew of the first crime, and he

fastened on to it like some obscene vulture. She’s paid the penalty. Is he to go

scot-free?”

 

“I see,” I said slowly. “You want to hunt him down? It will mean a lot of

publicity, you know.”

 

“Yes, I’ve thought of that. I’ve zigzagged to and fro in my mind.”

 

“I agree with you that the villain ought to be punished, but the cost has got to

be reckoned.”

 

Ackroyd rose and walked up and down. Presently he sank into the chair again.

 

“Look here, Sheppard, suppose we leave it like this. If no word comes from her,