Maxwell, with tacit
enjoyment of the typicality of Pinney. "He hasn't the least chance in
the world of working up into any controlling place in the paper. They
don't know much in the _Events_ office; but they do know Pinney. He's a
great liar and a braggart, and he has no more notion of the immunities
of private life than--Well, perhaps it's because he would as soon turn
his life inside out as not, and in fact would rather. But he's very
domestic, and very kind-hearted to his wife; it seems they have a baby
now, and I've no doubt Pinney is a pattern to parents. He's always
advising you to get married; but he's a born Bohemian. He's the most
harmless creature in the world, so far as intentions go, and quite
soft-hearted, but he wouldn't spare his dearest friend if he could make
copy of him; it would be impossible. I should say he was first a
newspaper man, and then a man. He's an awfully common nature, and hasn't
the first literary instinct. If I had any mystery, or mere privacy that
I wanted to guard; and I thought Pinney was on the scent of it, I
shouldn't have any more scruple in setting my foot on him than I would
on that snake."

A little reptile, allured by their immobility, had crept out of the
stone wall which they were standing near, and lay flashing its keen eyes
at them, and running out its tongue, a forked thread of tremulous
scarlet. Maxwell brought his heel down upon its head as he spoke, and
ground it into the earth.

Matt winced at the anguish of the twisting and writhing thing. "Ah, I
don't think I should have killed it!"

"I should," said Maxwell.

"Then you think one couldn't trust him?"

"Yes. If you put your foot on him in some sort of agreement, and kept it
there. Why, of course! Any man can be held. But don't let Pinney have
room to wriggle."

They turned, and walked away, Matt keeping the image of the tormented
snake in his mind; it somehow mixed there with the idea of Pinney, and
unconsciously softened him toward the reporter.

"Would there be any harm," he asked, after a while, "in my acting on a
knowledge of this letter in behalf of Mr. Northwick's family?"

"Not a bit," said Maxwell. "I make you perfectly free of it, as far as
I'm concerned; and it can't hurt Pinney, even if he ought to be spared.
_He_ wouldn't spare _you_."

"I don't know," said Matt, "that I could justify myself in hurting him
on that ground. I shall be careful about him. I don't at all know that I
shall want to