Page:The little blue devil (IA littlebluedevil00mackiala).pdf/221

Of course the Straines would have to be told, but certainly no one else, or the scheme would become impossible. At present it was unusual, but quite feasible, as Tony realised thankfully next day. So often ideas which arrive just before sleep change colour absolutely in the morning, but he had met men who had dropped their names in some neat way rather like this; he knew it could be done quite simply. The idea was seething in his head by now, and he could hardly hold himself in till he had told Alison and gone off, for the sooner it was carried out the better. He did not get an opportunity of speaking to her alone till just before luncheon that day.

“Alison,” said he, without losing any time, “I’ve thought of something about Pamela’s going back to Trent Stoke.”

“Oh, Tony, I’m so glad. What is it?”

Then he hesitated. Now that it came to the point it was hard to tell Alison; he felt sure, somehow, that she would not approve that plan.

“Well———” Tony-like, failing to see a good way of evading the hole, he plunged straight in without further parley. “I’ve decided to die. Don’t look so startled, dear! I’m not thinking of suicide, I just mean to drop my name and start fresh. As long as they think I’m dead it will be all right, nobody will worry, and she’ll go back———”

“Tony! Are you quite insane?”

Their eyes met. Alison was staring in a kind of bewildered horror, and Tony’s eyes lightened a little.

“No, not at all,” he said.