initials only-第42部分

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on　any　given　spot　without　shock　to　the　machine　or　danger　to　the　people　controlling　it。〃

Explain　the　device。〃

〃I　will　draw　it。〃

〃You　can？〃

〃As　I　see　it。〃

〃As　you　see　it！〃

〃Yes。　　It's　a　brilliant　idea；　I　could　never　have　conceived　it。〃

〃You　believe　…〃

〃I　know。〃

〃Sit　here。　　Let's　see　what　you　know。〃

Sweetwater　sat　down　at　the　table　the　other　pointed　out；　and　drawing　forward　a　piece　of　paper；　took　up　a　pencil　with　an　easy　air。　Brotherson　approached　and　stood　at　his　shoulder。　　He　had　taken　up　his　pistol　again；　why　he　hardly　knew；　and　as　Sweetwater　began　his　marks；　his　fingers　tightened　on　its　butt　till　they　turned　white　in　the　murky　lamplight。　　　　〃You　see；〃　came　in　easy　tones　from　the　stooping　draughtsman；　〃I　have　an　imagination　which　only　needs　a　slight　fillip　from　a　mind　like　yours　to　send　it　in　the　desired　direction。　　I　shall　not　draw　an　exact　reproduction　of　your　idea；　but　I　think　you　will　see　that　I　understand　it　very　well。　　How's　that　for　a　start？〃

Brotherson　looked　and　hastily　drew　back。　　He　did　not　want　the　other　to　note　his　surprise。

〃But　that　is　a　portion　you　never　saw；〃　he　loudly　declared。

〃No；　but　I　saw　this；〃　returned　Sweetwater；　working　busily　on　some　curves；　〃and　these　gave　me　the　fillip　I　mentioned。　　The　rest　came　easily。〃

Brotherson；　in　dread　of　his　own　anger；　threw　his　pistol　to　the　other　end　of　the　shed：

〃You　knave！　　You　thief！〃　he　furiously　cried。

〃How　so？〃　asked　Sweetwater　smilingly；　rising　and　looking　him　calmly　in　the　face。　　〃A　thief　is　one　who　appropriates　another　man's　goods；　or；　let　us　say；　another　man's　ideas。　　I　have　appropriated　nothing　yet。　　I've　only　shown　you　how　easily　I　could　do　so。　　Mr。　Brotherson；　take　me　in　as　your　assistant。　　I　will　be　faithful　to　you；　I　swear　it。　I　want　to　see　that　machine　go　up。〃

〃For　how　many　people　have　you　drawn　those　lines？〃　thundered　the　inexorable　voice。

〃For　nobody；　not　for　myself　even。　　This　is　the　first　time　they　have　left　their　hiding…place　in　my　brain。〃

〃Can　you　swear　to　that？〃

〃I　can　and　will；　if　you　require　it。　　But　you　ought　to　believe　my　word；　sir。　　I　am　square　as　a　die　in　all　matters　not　connected　　…　well；　not　connected　with　my　profession；〃　he　smiled　in　a　burst　of　that　whimsical　humour；　which　not　even　the　seriousness　of　the　moment　could　quite　suppress。

〃And　what　surety　have　I　that　you　do　not　consider　this　very　matter　of　mine　as　coming　within　the　bounds　you　speak　of？〃

〃None。　　But　you　must　trust　me　that　far。〃　

Brotherson　surveyed　him　with　an　irony　which　conveyed　a　very　different　message　to　the　detective　than　any　he　had　intended。　　Then　quickly：

〃To　how　many　have　you　spoken；　dilating　upon　this　device；　and　publishing　abroad　my　secret？〃　　　〃I　have　spoken　to　no　one；　not　even　to　Mr。　Gryce。　　That　shows　my　honesty　as　nothing　else　can。〃　

〃You　have　kept　my　secret　intact？〃

〃Entirely　so；　sir。〃

〃So　that　no　one；　here　or　elsewhere；　shares　our　knowledge　of　the　new　points　in　this　mechanism？〃　　　〃I　say　so；　sir。〃

〃Then　if　I　should　kill　you；〃　came　in　ferocious　accents；　〃　now　　…　here　…〃　

〃You　would　be　the　only　one　to　own　that　knowledge。　　But　you　won't　kill　me。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Need　I　go　into　reasons？

〃Why？　　I　say。〃

〃Because　your　conscience　is　already　too　heavily　laden　to　bear　the　burden　of　another　unprovoked　crime〃

Brotherson；　starting　back；　glared　with　open　ferocity　upon　the　man　who　dared　to　face　him　with　such　an　accusation。

〃God！　　why　didn't　I　shoot　you　on　entrance！〃　he　cried。　　〃Your　courage　is　certainly　colossal。〃

A　fine　smile；　without　even　the　hint　of　humour　now；　touched　the　daring　detective's　lip。　　Brotherson's　anger　seemed　to　grow　under　it；　and　he　loudly　repeated：

〃It's　more　than　colossal；　it's　abnormal　and　…〃　　A　moment's　pause；　then　with　ironic　pauses　…〃　and　quite　unnecessary　save　as　a　matter　of　display；　unless　you　think　you　need　it　to　sustain　you　through　the　ordeal　you　are　courting。　　You　wish　to　help　me　finish　and　prepare　for　flight？〃

I　sincerely　do。〃

〃You　consider　yourself　competent？〃

〃I　do。〃

Brotherson's　eyes　fell　and　he　walked　once　to　the　extremity　of　the　oval　flooring　and　back。

〃Well；　we　will　grant　that。　　But　that's　not　all　that　is　necessary。　My　requirements　demand　a　companion　in　my　first　flight。　　Will　you　go　up　in　the　car　with　me　on　Saturday　night？〃

A　quick　affirmative　was　on　Sweetwater's　lips　but　the　glimpse　which　he　got　of　the　speaker's　face　glowering　upon　him　from　the　shadows　into　which　Brotherson　had　withdrawn；　stopped　its　utterance；　and　the　silence　grew　heavy。　　Though　it　may　not　have　lasted　long　by　the　clock；　the　instant　of　breathless　contemplation　of　each　other's　features　across　the　intervening　space　was　of　incalculable　moment　to　Sweetwater；　and；　possibly；　to　Brotherson。　　As　drowning　men　are　said　to　live　over　their　whole　history　between　their　first　plunge　and　their　final　rise　to　light　and　air；　so　through　the　mind　of　the　detective　rushed　the　memories　of　his　past　and　the　fast　fading　glories　of　his　future；　and　rebelling　at　the　subtle　peril　he　saw　in　that　sardonic　eye；　he　vociferated　an　impulsive：

〃No！　　I'll　not　…〃　and　paused；　caught　by　a　new　and　irresistible　sensation。

A　breath　of　wind　…　the　first　he；　had　felt　that　night　…　had　swept　in　through　some　crevice　in　the　curving　wall；　flapping　the　canvas　enveloping　the　great　car。　　It　acted　like　a　peal　to　battle。　　After　all；　a　man　must　take　some　risks　in　his　life；　and　his　heart　was　in　this　trial　of　a　redoubtable　mechanism　in　which　he　had　full　faith。　He　could　not　say　no　to　the　prospect　of　being　the　first　to　share　a　triumph　which　would　send　his　name　to　the　ends　of　the　earth；　and；　changing　the　trend　of　his　sentence；　he　repeated　with　a　calmness　which　had　the　force　of　a　great　decision

I　will　not　fail　you　in　anything。　　If　she　rises　…　here　his　trembling　hand　fell　on　the　curtain　shutting　off　his　view　of　the　ship；　〃she　shall　take　me　with　her；　so　that　when　she　descends　I　may　be　the　first　to　congratulate　the　proud　inventor　of　such　a　marvel。〃

So　be　it！〃　shot　from　the　other's　lips；　his　eyes　losing　their　threatening　look；　and　his　whole　countenance　suddenly　aglow　with　the　enthusiasm　of　awakened　genius。

Coming　from　the　shadows；　he　laid　his　hand　on　the　cord　regulating　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　concealing　curtain。

〃Here　she　is！〃　he　cried　and　drew　the　cord。

The　canvas　shook；　gathered　itself　into　great　folds　and　disappeared　in　the　shadows　from　which　he　had　just　stepped。

The　air…car　stood　revealed　…　a　startling；　because　　wholly　unique；　vision。　　　　Long　did　Sweetwater　survey　it；　then　turning　with　beaming　face　upon　the　watchful　inventor；　he　uttered　a　loud　Hurrah。

Next　moment；　with　everything　forgotten　between　them　save　the　glories　of　this　invention；　both　dropped　simultaneously　to　the　floor　and　began　that　minute　examination　of　the　mechanism　necessary　to　their　mutual　work。


XXXVII

HIS　GREAT　HOUR

Saturday　night　at　eight　o'clock。

So　the　fiat　had　gone　forth；　with　no　concession　to　be　made　on　account　of　weather。

As　Oswald　came　from　his　supper　and　took　a　look　at　the　heavens　from　the　small　front　porch；　he　was　deeply　troubled　that　Orlando　had　remained　so　obstinate　on　this　point。　　For　there　were　ominous　clouds　rolling　up　from　the　east；　and　the　storms　in　this　region　of　high　mountains　and　abrupt　valleys　were　not　light；　nor　without　danger　even　to　those　with　feet　well　planted　upon　mother　earth。

If　the　tempest　should　come　up　before　eight！

Mr。　Challoner；　who；　from　some　mysterious　impulse　of　bravado　on　the　part　of　Brotherson；　was　to　be　allowed　to　make　the　third　in　this　small　band　of　spectators；　was　equally　concerned　at　this　sight；　but　not　for　Brotherson。　　His　fears　were　for　Oswald；　whose　slowly　gathering　strength　could　illy　bear　the　strain　which　this　additional　anxiety　for　his　brother's　life　must　impose　upon　him。　　As　for　Doris；　she　was　in　a　state　of　excitement　more　connected　with　the　past　than　with　the　future。　　That　afternoon　she　had　laid　her　hand　in　that　of　Orlando　Brotherson；　and　wished　him　well。　　She！　　in　whose　breast　still　lingered　reminiscences　of　those　old　doubts　which　had　beclouded　his　image　for　her　at　their　first　meeting。　　She　had　not　been　able　to　avoid　it。　　His　look　was　a　compelling　one；　and　it　had　demanded　thus　much　from　her；　and　…　a　terrible　thought　to　her　gentle　spirit　…　he　might　be　going　to　his　death！

It　had　been　settled　by　the　prospective　aviator　that　they　were　to　watch　for　the　ascent　from　the　mouth　of　the　grassy　road　leading　in　to　the　hangar。　　The　three　were　to　meet　there　at　a　quarter　to　eight　and　await　the　stroke　and　the　air…cars　rise。　　That　time　was　near；　and　Mr。　Challoner；　catching　a　glimpse　of　Oswald's　pallid　and　unnaturally　drawn　features；　as　he　set　down　the　lantern　he　carried；　shuddered　with　foreboding　and　wished　the　hour　passed。

Doris'　watchful　glance　never　left　the　face　whose　lightest　change　was　more　to　her　than　all　Orlando's　hopes。　　But　the　result　upon　her　was　not　to　weaken　her　resolution；　but　to　strengthen　it。　　Whatever　the　outcome　of　the　next　few　minutes；　she　must　stand　ready　to　sustain　her　invalid　through　it。　　That　the　darkness　of　early　evening　had　deepened　to　oppression；　was　unnoticed　for　the　moment。　　The　fears　of　an　hour　past　had　been　forgotten。　　Their　attention　was　too　absorbed　in　what　was　going　on　before　them；　for　even　a　glance　overhead。

Suddenly　Mr。　Challoner　spoke。

〃Who　is　the　man　whom　Mr。　Brotherson　has　asked　to　go　up　with　him？〃

It　was　Oswald　who　answered。

〃He　has　never　told　me。　　He　has　kept　his　own　counsel　about　that　as　about　everything　else　connected　with　this　matter。　　He　simply　advised　me　that　I　was　not　to　bother　about　him　any　more；　that　he　had　found　　the　assistant　he　wanted。〃

〃Such　reticence　seems　unpardonable。　　You　have　…　displayed　great　patience；　Oswald。〃　

〃Because　I　understand　Orlando。　　He　reads　men's　natures　like　a　book。　The　man　he　trusts；　we　may　trust。　　To…morrow；　he　will　speak　openly　enough。　　All　cause　for　reticence　will　be　gone。

〃You　have　confidence　then　in　the　success　of　this　undertaking？〃

〃If　I　hadn't；　I　should　not　be　here。　　I　could　hardly　　bear　to　witness　his　failure；　even　in　a　secret　test　like　this。　　I　should　find　it　too　hard　to　face　him　afterwards。〃

〃I　don't　understand。〃

〃Orlando　has　great　pride。　　If　this　enterprise　fails　I　cannot　answer　for　him。　　He　would　be　capable　of　anything。　　Why；　Doris！　　what　is　the　matter；　child？　I　never　saw　yo