initials only-第41部分

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He　had　said　in　a　moment　of　elation；　〃I　will　do　it　alone；〃　but　he　knew　even　then　that　he　could　not。　　Two　hands　were　necessary　to　start　the　car；　afterwards；　he　might　manage　it　alone。　　Descent　was　even　possible；　but　to　give　the　contrivance　its　first　lift　required　a　second　mechanician。　　Where　was　he　to　find　one　to　please　him？　　And　what　was　he　to　do　if　he　did　not？　　Conquer　his　prejudices　against　such　men　as　he　had　seen；　or　delay　the　attempt；　as　Oswald　had　suggested；　till　he　could　get　one　of　his　old　cronies　on　from　New　York。　　He　could　do　neither。　　The　obstinacy　of　his　nature　was　such　as　to　offer　an　invincible　barrier　against　either　suggestion。　　One　alternative　remained。　　He　had　heard　of　women　aviators。　　If　Doris　could　be　induced　to　accompany　him　into　the　air；　instead　of　clinging　sodden…like　to　the　weight　of　Oswald's　woe；　then　would　the　world　behold　a　triumph　which　would　dwarf　the　ecstasy　of　the　bird's　flight　and　rob　the　eagle　of　his　kingly　pride。　　But　Doris　barely　endured　him　as　yet；　and　the　thought　was　not　one　to　be　considered　for　a　moment。　　Yet　what　other　course　remained？　　He　was　brooding　deeply　on　the　subject；　in　his　hangar　one　evening　…　（it　was　Thursday　and　Saturday　was　but　two　days　off）　when　there　came　a　light　knock　at　the　door。

This　had　never　occurred　before。　　He　had　given　strict　orders；　backed　by　his　brother's　authority；　that　he　was　never　to　be　intruded　upon　when　in　this　place；　and　though　he　had　sometimes　encountered　the　prying　eyes　of　the　curious　flashing　from　behind　the　trees　encircling　the　hangar；　his　door　had　never　been　approached　before；　or　his　privacy　encroached　upon。　　He　started　then；　when　this　low　but　penetrating　sound　struck　across　the　turmoil　of　his　thoughts；　and　cast　one　look　in　the　direction　from　which　it　came；　but　he　did　not　rise；　or　even　change　his　position　on　his　workman's　stool。

Then　it　came　again；　still　low　but　with　an　insistence　which　drew　his　brows　together　and　made　his　hand　fall　from　the　wire　he　had　been　unconsciously　holding　through　the　mental　debate　which　was　absorbing　him。　　Still　he　made　no　response；　and　the　knocking　continued。　　Should　he　ignore　it　entirely；　start　up　his　motor　and　render　himself　oblivious　to　all　other　sounds？　　At　every　other　point　in　his　career　he　would　have　done　this；　but　an　unknown；　and　as　yet　unnamed；　something　had　entered　his　heart　during　this　fatal　month；　which　made　old　ways　impossible　and　oblivion　a　thing　he　dared　not　court　too　recklessly。　　Should　this　be　a　summons　from　Doris！　　Should　（inconceivable　idea；　yet　it　seized　upon　him　relentlessly　and　would　not　yield　for　the　asking）　should　it　be　Doris　herself！

Taking　advantage　of　a　momentary　cessation　of　the　ceaseless　tap　tap；　he　listened。　　Silence　was　never　profounder　than　in　this　forest　on　that　windless　night。　　Earth　and　air　seemed；　to　his　strained　ear；　emptied　of　all　sound。　　The　clatter　of　his　own　steady；　unhastened　heart…beat　was　all　that　broke　upon　the　stillness。　　He　might　be　alone　in　the　Universe　for　all　token　of　life　beyond　these　walls；　or　so　he　was　saying　to　himself；　when　sharp；　quick；　sinister；　the　knocking　recommenced；　demanding　admission；　insisting　upon　attention；　drawing　him　against　his　own　will　to　his　feet；　and　finally；　though　he　made　more　than　one　stand　against　it；　to　the　very　door。

〃Who's　there？〃　he　asked；　imperiously　and　with　some　show　of　anger。

No　answer；　but　another　quiet　knock。

〃Speak！　　or　go　from　my　door。　　No　one　has　the　right　to　intrude　here。　What　is　your　name　and　business？〃

Continued　knocking　…　nothing　more。

With　an　outburst　of　wrath；　which　made　the　hangar　ring；　Orlando　lifted　his　fist　to　answer　this　appeal　in　his　own　fierce　fashion　from　his　own　side　of　the　door；　but　the　impulse　paused　at　fulfilment；　and　he　let　his　arm　fall　again　in　a　rush　of　self…hatred　which　it　would　have　pained　his　worst　enemy；　even　little　Doris；　to　witness。　As　it　reached　his　side；　the　knock　came　again。

It　was　too　much。　　With　an　oath；　Orlando　reached　for　his　key。　　But　before　fitting　it　into　the　lock；　he　cast　a　look　behind　him。　　The　car　was　in　plain　sight；　filling　the　central　space　from　floor　to　roof。　　A　single　glance　from　a　stranger's　eye；　and　its　principal　secret　would　be　a　secret　no　longer。　　He　must　not　run　such　a　risk。　Before　he　answered　this　call；　he　must　drop　the　curtain　he　had　rigged　up　against　such　emergencies　as　these。　　He　had　but　to　pull　a　cord　and　a　veil　would　fall　before　his　treasure；　concealing　it　as　effectually　as　an　Eastern　bride　is　concealed　behind　her　yashmak。

Stepping　to　the　wall；　he　drew　that　cord；　then　with　an　impatient　sigh；　returned　to　the　door。

Another　quiet　but　insistent　knock　greeted　him。　　In　no　fury　now；　but　with　a　vague　sense　of　portent　which　gave　an　aspect　of　farewell　to　the　one　quick　glance　he　cast　about　the　well…known　spot；　he　fitted　the　key　in　the　lock；　and　stood　ready　to　turn　it。

〃I　ask　again　your　name　and　your　business；〃　he　shouted　out　in　loud　command。　　〃Tell　them　or　…〃　　He　meant　to　say；　〃or　I　do　not　turn　this　key。〃　　But　something　withheld　the　threat。　　He　knew　that　it　would　perish　in　the　utterance；　that　he　could　not　carry　it　out。　　He　would　have　to　open　the　door　now；　response　or　no　response。　　〃Speak！〃　was　the　word　with　which　he　finished　his　demand。

A　final　knock。

Pulling　a　pistol　from　his　pocket；　with　his　left　hand；　he　turned　the　key　with　his　right。

The　door　remained　unopened。

Stepping　slowly　back；　he　stared　at　its　unpainted　boards　for　a　moment；　then　he　spoke　up　quietly；　almost　courteously：

〃Enter。〃

But　the　command　passed　unheeded；　the　latch　was　not　raised；　and　only　the　slightest　tap　was　heard。

With　a　bound　he　reached　forward　and　pulled　the　door　open。　　Then　a　great　silence　fell　upon　him　and　a　rigidity　as　of　the　grave　seized　and　stiffened　his　powerful　frame。

The　man　confronting　him　from　the　darkness　was　Sweetwater。



XXXV

THE　MAN　WITHIN　AND　THE　MAN　WITHOUT


An　instant　of　silence；　during　which　the　two　men　eyed　each　other；　then；　Sweetwater；　with　an　ironical　smile　directed　towards　the　pistol　lightly　remarked：

〃Mr。　Challoner　and　other　men　at　the　hotel　are　acquainted　with　my　purpose　and　await　my　return。　　I　have　come　…〃　here　he　cast　a　glowing　look　at　the　huge　curtain　cutting　off　the　greater　portion　of　the　illy…lit　interior　…〃　to　offer　you　my　services；　Mr。　Brotherson。　　I　have　no　other　motive　for　this　intrusion　than　to　be　of　use。　　I　am　deeply　interested　in　your　invention；　to　the　development　of　which　I　have　already　lent　some　aid；　and　can　bring　to　the　test　you　propose　a　sympathetic　help　which　you　could　hardly　find　in　any　other　person　living。〃

The　silence　which　settled　down　at　the　completion　of　these　words　had　a　weight　which　made　that　of　the　previous　moment　seem　light　and　all　athrob　with　sound。　　The　man　within　had　not　yet　caught　his　breath；　the　man　without　held　his；　in　an　anxiety　which　had　little　to　do　with　the　direction　of　the　weapon；　into　which　he　looked。　　Then　an　owl　hooted　far　away　in　the　forest；　and　Orlando；　slowly　lowering　his　arm；　asked　in　an　oddly　constrained　tone：

〃How　long　have　you　been　in　town？〃

The　answer　cut　clean　through　any　lingering　hope　he　may　have　had。

〃Ever　since　the　day　your　brother　was　told　the　story　of　his　great　misfortune。〃

〃Ah！　　still　at　your　old　tricks！　　I　thought　you　had　quit　that　business　as　unprofitable。〃

〃I　don't　know。　　I　never　expect　quick　returns。　　He　who　holds　on　for　a　rise　sometimes　reaps　unlooked…for　profits。〃

The　arm　and　fist　of　Orlando　Brotherson　ached　to　hurl　this　fellow　back　into　the　heart　of　the　midnight　woods。

But　they　remained　quiescent　and　he　spoke　instead　I　have　buried　the　business。　　You　will　never　resuscitate　it　through　me。〃

Sweetwater　smiled。　　There　was　no　mirth　in　his　smile　though　there　was　lightness　in　his　tone　as　said：

〃Then　let　us　go　back　to　the　matter　in　hand。　　You　need　a　helper；　where　are　you　going　to　find　one　if　you　don't　take　me？〃

A　growl　from　Brotherson's　set　lips。　　Never　had　he　looked　more　dangerous　than　in　the　one　burning　instant　following　this　daring　repetition　of　the　detective's　outrageous　request。　　But　as　he　noted　how　slight　was　the　figure　opposing　him　from　the　other　side　of　the　threshold；　he　was　swayed　by　his　natural　admiration　of　pluck　in　the　physically　weak；　and　lost　his　threatening　attitude；　only　to　assume　one　which　Sweetwater　secretly　found　it　even　harder　to　meet。

〃You　are　a　fool；〃　was　the　stinging　remark　he　heard　flung　at　him。　〃Do　you　want　to　play　the　police…officer　here　and　arrest　me　in　mid　air？〃

〃Mr。　Brotherson；　you　understand　me　as　little　as　I　am　supposed　to　understand　you。　　Humble　as　my　place　is　in　society　and；　I　may　add；　in　the　Department　whose　interests　I　serve；　there　are　in　me　two　men。　One　you　know　passably　well　…　the　detective　whose　methods；　only　indifferently　clever　show　that　he　has　very　much　to　learn。　　Of　the　other　…　the　workman　acquainted　with　hammer　and　saw；　but　with　some　knowledge　too　of　higher　mathematics　and　the　principles　upon　which　great　mechanical　inventions　depend；　you　know　little；　and　must　imagine　much。　　I　was　playing　the　gawky　when　I　helped　you　in　the　old　house　in　Brooklyn。　　I　was　interested　in　your　air…ship　…　Oh；　I　recognised　it　for　what　it　was；　notwithstanding　its　oddity　and　lack　of　ostensible　means　for　flying　…　but　I　was　not　caught　in　the　whirl　of　its　idea；　the　idea　by　which　you　doubtless　expect；　and　with　very　good　reason　too；　to　revolutionise　the　science　of　aviation。　But　since　then　I've　been　thinking　it　over；　and　am　so　filled　with　your　own　hopes　that　either　I　must　have　a　hand　in　the　finishing　and　sailing　of　the　one　you　have　yourself　constructed；　or　go　to　work　myself　on　the　hints　you　have　unconsciously　given　me；　and　make　a　car　of　my　own。〃

Audacity　often　succeeds　where　subtlier　means　fail。　　Orlando；　with　a　curious　twist　of　his　strong　lip；　took　hold　of　the　detective's　arm　and　drew　him　in；　shutting　and　locking　the　door　carefully　behind　him。

〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃you　shall　tell　me　what　you　think　you　have　discovered；　to　make　any　ideas　of　your　own　available　in　the　manufacture　of　a　superior　self…propelling　air…ship。〃

Sweetwater　who　had　been　so　violently　wheeled　about　in　entering　that　he　stood　with　his　back　to　the　curtain　concealing　the　car；　answered　without　hesitation。

〃You　have　a　device；　entirely　new　so　far　as　I　can　judge；　by　which　this　car　can　leap　at　once　into　space；　hold　its　own　in　any　direction；　and　alight　again　upon　any　given　spot　witho