"Am I still a rich man?"
"The statement is correct, sir," returned Mr. Harker respectfully. "You
will find that you have in reality benefited by his cunning and
astuteness, even after the racing debts are fully paid."
Adrien laid the book on the table.
"I am grateful," he said gravely. "But I would leave this room
penniless, and gladly, if by so doing I could bring one life back to
us." Then, almost overcome by his emotion, he abruptly left the room.
On the morrow, despite all efforts to hush the matter up, the news went
flying through the land. Adrien Leroy, the well-beloved of Vanity Fair,
had been betrayed by his friend and confidant. Great was the sensation
when all the facts came out into the full light, and it was known that
Adrien had been saved by the traitor's own daughter, who had given her
life that his might be spared.
Mr. Harker was well rewarded for the part he had taken in exposing
Jasper Vermont, and preserving the Leroys from the pitfalls and ruin he
had dug for them. All the forged bills were promptly burnt, and there
remained only those real amounts that Adrien had signed, and which, all
put together, only amounted to but a minute fraction of the supposed
sums owing by the young man.
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