The House of Whispers - William Le Queux - Bog

Excerpt: ...she saw in his eyes a desperate look. To tell the truth would, she knew, alas! cause the exposure of her secret and her disgrace. On both sides had she suddenly become hemmed in by a deadly peril. "Dad," she cried suddenly, "do I not know all about your affairs already? Do I not act as your secretary? With what motive should I open your safe?" Without response, the blind man moved back to the open door, and, placing his hand within, fingered one of the long iron drawers. It was unlocked, and he drew it forth. Some papers were within-blue, legal-looking papers which his daughter had never seen. "Yes," he exclaimed aloud, "just as I thought. This drawer has been opened, and my private affairs pried into. Tell me, Gabrielle, where is young Murie just at present?" "In Paris, I believe. He left London unexpectedly three days ago." "Paris!" echoed the old man. "Ah," he added, "Goslin was right-quite right. And so you, my daughter, in whom I placed all my trust-my-my only friend-have betrayed me!" he added brokenly. "I have not betrayed you, dear father," was her quick protest. "To whom do you allege I have exposed your affairs?" "To your lover, Walter." To Flockart, whose wits were already at work upon some scheme to extricate himself, there came at that instant a sudden suggestion. He spoke, causing the old man to start suddenly and turn in the direction of the speaker. As the words left his lips he raised a threatening finger towards Gabrielle, a sign of silence to her of which the old man was unfortunately in ignorance. "I think, Sir Henry, that I ought to speak-to tell you the truth, painful though it may be. Five minutes ago I came down here in order to get a telegraph-form, as I wanted to send a wire at the earliest possible moment to-morrow, when, to my surprise, I saw a light beneath the door. I--" "Oh, no, no!" gasped the girl, in horrified protest. "It's a lie!" "I crept in quietly, and was very surprised to find Gabrielle with...