Synopsis

If everything about me were known, I am quite aware the greater number of people would insist that I must be by nature an evil man. The thought of which amuses me, as in these latter years I appear to so conform to all the generally accepted ideas of solid British respectability. At only thirty-five I am a well-to-do landowner, the squire of our village and the youngest Justice of the Peace in my country. I open Flower Shows, I give away prizes at the local sports and I am on the Boards of Management of several public institutions. Also, coming of good stock— my father was the grandson of an earl—I am held to be a worthy example of that class which in Britain's glorious history has done so much to win for her her world-wide greatness. But I was not always so esteemed. I was a hunted man once. There was a reward of five hundred pounds for my capture and, for ought I know, the offer is still open. I was a thief, and worse than that, I killed the man who had been sent to catch me. I don't deny I did very wrong, but I do plead in extenuation that I did my utmost to atone for my offences. Also, there was no premeditation about my crimes. It was through one single fo...