William Le Queux

The Sign of Silence William Le Queux

Book Excerpt: ...pose I'm no different to any other man--or woman for the matter of that--I have a skeleton in my cupboard--a grim skeleton, my dear Royle. One which I've always striven to hide--until to-night," he added with emotion."But that hardly interferes with our friendship, does it? We all of us have our private affairs, both of business and of heart," I said."The heart," he echoed bitterly. "Ah! yes--the heart. You, my dear boy, are a man of the world. You understand life. You are never narrow-minded--eh?" he asked, advancing a step nearer to me."I hope not," I said. "At any rate, I've always been your friend, ever since our first meeting on the steamer on the Lake of Garda, last February."The eminent engineer rolled his cigar between his fingers, and calmly contemplated it in silence. Then, quite abruptly, he exclaimed: "Royle, my present misfortune is due to a woman.""Ah!" I sighed. "A woman! Always a woman in such cases! Well?""Mind you, I don't blame h..