initials only-第47部分

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Four　o'clock！　　The　light　was　still　burning；　the　pile　of　letters　he　was　writing　increasing。

Five　o'clock！　　A　rattling　shade　betrays　an　open　window。　　No　other　sound　disturbs　the　quiet　of　the　room。　　It　is　empty　now；　but　Mr。　Challoner；　long　since　satisfied　that　all　was　well；　goes　by　no　more。　　Silence　has　settled　upon　the　hotel；　…　that　heavy　silence　which　precedes　the　dawn。

There　was　silence　in　the　streets　also。　　The　few　who　were　abroad；　crept　quietly　along。　　An　electric　storm　was　in　the　air　and　the　surcharged　clouds　hung　heavy　and　low；　biding　the　moment　of　outbreak。　A　man　who　had　left　a　place　of　many　shadows　for　the　more　open　road；　paused　and　looked　up　at　these　clouds；　then　went　calmly　on。

Suddenly　the　shriek　of　an　approaching　train　tears　through　the　valley。　　Has　it　a　call　for　this　man？　　No。　　Yet　he　pauses　in　the　midst　of　the　street　he　is　crossing　and　watches；　as　a　child　might　watch；　for　the　flash　of　its　lights　at　the　end　of　the　darkened　vista。　It　comes　…　filling　the　empty　space　at　which　he　stares　with　moving　life　…　engine；　baggage　car　and　a　long　string　of　Pullmans。　　Then　all　is　dark　again　and　only　the　noise　of　its　slackening　wheels　comes　to　him　through　the　night。　　It　has　stopped　at　the　station。　　A　minute　longer　and　it　has　started　again；　and　the　quickly　lessening　rumble　of　its　departure　is　all　that　remains　of　this　vision　of　man's　activity　and　ceaseless　expectancy。　　When　it　is　quite　gone　and　all　is　quiet；　a　sigh　falls　from　the　man's　lips　and　he　moves　on；　but　this　time；　for　some　unexplainable　reason；　in　the　direction　of　the　station。　　With　lowered　head　he　passes　along；　noting　little　till　he　arrives　within　sight　of　the　depot　where　some　freight　is　being　handled；　and　a　trunk　or　two　wheeled　down　the　platform。　　No　sight　could　be　more　ordinary　or　unsuggestive；　but　it　has　its　attraction　for　him；　for　he　looks　up　as　he　goes　by　and　follows　the　passage　of　that　truck　down　the　platform　till　it　has　reached　the　corner　and　disappeared。　　Then　he　sighs　again　and　again　moves　on。

A　cluster　of　houses；　one　of　them　open　and　lighted；　was　all　which　lay　between　him　now　and　the　country　road。　　He　was　hurrying　past；　for　his　step　had　unconsciously　quickened　as　he　turned　his　back　upon　the　station；　when　he　was　seized　again　by　that　mood　of　curiosity　and　stepped　up　to　the　door　from　which　a　light　issued　and　looked　in。　　A　common　eating…room　lay　before　him；　with　rudely　spread　tables　and　one　very　sleepy　waiter　taking　orders　from　a　new　arrival　who　sat　with　his　back　to　the　door。　　Why　did　the　lonely　man　on　the　sidewalk　start　as　his　eye　fell　on　the　latter's　commonplace　figure；　a　hungry　man　demanding　breakfast　in　a　cheap；　country　restaurant？　　His　own　physique　was　powerful　while　that　of　the　other　looked　slim　and　frail。　　But　fear　was　in　the　air；　and　the　brooding　of　a　tempest　affects　some　temperaments　in　a　totally　unexpected　manner。　　As　the　man　inside　turns　slightly　and　looks　up；　the　master　figure　on　the　sidewalk　vanishes；　and　his　step；　if　any　one　had　been　interested　enough　to　listen；　rings　with　a　new　note　as　it　turns　into　the　country　road　it　has　at　last　reached。

But　no　one　heeded。　　The　new　arrival　munches　his　roll　and　waits　impatiently　for　his　coffee；　while　without；　the　clouds　pile　soundlessly　in　the　sky；　one　of　them　taking　the　form　of　a　huge　hand　with　clutching　fingers　reaching　down　into　the　hollow　void　beneath。



XLI

AT　SIX


Mr。　Challoner　had　been　honest　in　his　statement　regarding　the　departure　of　Sweetwater。　　He　had　not　only　paid　and　dismissed　our　young　detective；　but　he　had　seen　him　take　the　train　for　New　York。　And　Sweetwater　had　gone　away　in　good　faith；　too；　possibly　with　his　convictions　undisturbed；　but　acknowledging　at　last　that　he　had　reached　the　end　of　his　resources。　　But　the　brain　does　not　loose　its　hold　upon　its　work　as　readily　as　the　hand　does。　　He　was　halfway　to　New　York　and　had　consciously　bidden　farewell　to　the　whole　subject；　when　he　suddenly　startled　those　about　him　by　rising　impetuously　to　his　feet。　　He　sat　again　immediately；　but　with　a　light　in　his　small　grey　eye　which　Mr。　Gryce　would　have　understood　and　revelled　in。　　The　idea　for　which　he　had　searched　industriously　for　months　had　come　at　last；　unbidden；　thrown　up　from　some　remote　recess　of　the　mind　which　had　seemingly　closed　upon　the　subject　forever。

I　have　it。　　I　have　it；〃　he　murmured　in　ceaseless　reiteration　to　himself。　　〃I　will　go　back　to　Mr。　Challoner　and　let　him　decide　if　the　idea　is　worth　pursuing。　　Perhaps　an　experiment　may　be　necessary。　It　was　bitter　cold　that　night；　I　wish　it　were　icy　weather　now。　　But　a　chemist　can　help　us　out。　　Good　God！　　if　this　should　be　the　explanation　of　the　mystery；　alas　for　Orlando　and　alas　for　Oswald！

But　his　sympathies　did　not　deter　him。　　He　returned　to　Derby　at　once；　and　as　soon　as　he　dared；　presented　himself　at　the　hotel　and　asked　for　Mr。　Challoner。

He　was　amazed　to　find　that　gentleman　already　up　and　in　a　state　of　agitation　that　was　very　disquieting。　　But　he　brightened　wonderfully　at　sight　of　his　visitor；　and　drawing　him　inside　the　room；　observed　with　trembling　eagerness：

〃I　do　not　know　why　you　have　come　back；　but　never　was　man　more　welcome。　　Mr。　Brotherson　has　confessed。〃　Confessed！〃

〃Yes；　he　killed　both　women；　my　daughter　and　his　neighbour；　the　washerwoman；　with　a　…〃

〃Wait；〃　broke　in　Sweetwater；　eagerly；　〃let　me　tell　you。〃　　And　stooping；　he　whispered　something　in　the　other's　ear。

Mr。　Challoner　stared　at　him　amazed；　then　slowly　nodded　his　head。

〃How　came　you　to　think　…〃　he　began；　but　Sweetwater　in　his　great　anxiety　interrupted　him　with　a　quick：

〃Explanations　will　keep；　Mr。　Challoner。　　What　of　the　man　himself？　Where　is　he？　　That's　the　important　thing　now。〃　

〃He　was　in　his　room　till　early　this　morning　writing　letters；　but　he　is　not　there　now。　　The　door　is　unlocked　and　I　went　in。　　From　appearances　I　fear　the　worst。　　That　is　why　your　presence　relieves　me　so。　　Where　do　you　think　he　is？〃

〃In　his　hangar　in　the　woods。　　Where　else　would　he　go　to　…〃

〃I　have　thought　of　that。　　Shall　we　start　out　alone　or　take　witnesses　with　us？〃

〃We　will　go　alone。　　Does　Oswald　anticipate　…〃

〃He　is　sure。　　But　he　lacks　strength　to　move。　　He　lies　on　my　bed　in　there。　　Doris　and　her　father　are　with　him。〃

〃We　will　not　wait　a　minute。　　How　the　storm　holds　off。　　I　hope　it　will　hold　off　for　another　hour。〃

Mr。　Challoner　made　no　reply。　　He　had　spoken　because　he　felt　compelled　to　speak；　but　it　had　not　been　easy　for　him；　nor　could　any　trifles　move　him　now。

The　town　was　up　by　this　time　and；　though　they　chose　the　least　frequented　streets；　they　had　to　suffer　from　some　encounters。　　It　was　a　good　half　hour　before　they　found　themselves　in　the　forest　and　in　sight　of　the　hangar。　　One　look　that　way；　and　Sweetwater　turned　to　see　what　the　effect　was　upon　Mr。　Challoner。

A　murmur　of　dismay　greeted　him。　　The　oval　of　that　great　lid　stood　up　against　the　forest　background。

〃He　has　escaped；〃　cried　Mr。　Challoner。

But　Sweetwater；　laying　a　finger　on　his　lip；　advanced　and　laid　his　ear　against　the　door。　　Then　he　cast　a　quick　look　aloft。　　Nothing　was　to　be　seen　there。　　The　darkness　of　storm　in　the　heavens　but　nothing　more。…　Yes！　　now；　a　flash　of　vivid　and　destructive　lightning！

The　two　men　drew　back　and　their　glances　crossed。

〃Let　us　return　to　the　highroad；〃　whispered　Sweetwater；　〃we　can　see　nothing　here。〃

Mr。　Challoner；　trembling　very　much；　wheeled　slowly　about。

〃Wait；〃　enjoined　Sweetwater。　　〃First　let　me　take　a　look　inside。〃

Running　to　the　nearest　tree；　he　quickly　climbed　it；　worked　himself　along　a　protruding　branch　and　looked　down　into　the　open　hangar。　　It　was　now　so　dark　that　details　escaped　him；　but　one　thing　was　certain。　The　air…ship　was　not　there。

Descending；　he　drew　Mr。　Challoner　hastily　along。　　〃He's　gone；〃　said　he。　　〃Let　us　reach　the　high　ground　as　quickly　as　we　can。　　I'm　glad　that　Mr。　Oswald　Brotherson　is　not　with　us　or　…　or　Miss　Doris。〃

But　this　expression　of　satisfaction　died　on　his　lips。　　At　the　point　where　the　forest　road　debouches　into　the　highway；　he　had　already　caught　a　glimpse　of　their　two　figures。　　They　were　waiting　for　news；　and　the　brother　spoke　up　the　instant　he　saw　Sweetwater：

〃Where　is　he？　　You've　not　found　him　or　you　wouldn't　be　coming　alone。　He　cannot　have　gone　up。　　He　cannot　manage　it　without　an　assistant。　We　must　seek　him　somewhere　else；　in　the　forest　or　in　our　house　at　home。　　Ah！〃　　The　lightning　had　forked　again。

〃He's　not　in　the　forest　and　he's　not　in　your　home；〃　returned　Sweetwater。　　〃He's　aloft；　the　air…ship　is　not　in　the　shed。　　And　he　can　go　up　alone　now。〃　　Then　more　slowly：　〃But　he　cannot　come　down。〃

They　strained　their　eyes　in　a　maddening　search　of　the　heavens。　　But　the　darkness　had　so　increased　that　they　could　be　sure　of　nothing。　Doris　sank　upon　her　knees。

Suddenly　the　lightning　flashed　again；　this　time　so　vividly　and　so　near　that　the　whole　heaven　burst　into　fiery　illumination　above　them　and　the　thunder；　crashing　almost　simultaneously；　seemed　for　a　moment　to　rock　the　world　and　bow　the　heavens　towards　them。　　Then　a　silence；　then　Sweetwater's　whisper　in　Mr。　Challoner's　ear：

〃Take　them　away！　　I　saw　him；　he　was　falling　like　a　shot。〃

Mr。　Challoner　threw　out　his　arms；　then　steadied　himself。　　Oswald　was　reeling；　Oswald　had　seen　too。　　But　Doris　was　there。　　When　the　lightning　flashed　again；　she　was　standing　and　Oswald　was　weeping　on　her　bosom。







End