Part 21 (2/2)

”You want to keep your nerve. Nothing awful is going to happen.”

”If only there was something I could do.”

”'They also serve who only stand and wait,'” quoted the doctor sententiously. ”There is something you can do.”

”What?”

”Light your pipe and take it easy.”

Kirk snorted.

”I mean it. In a very short while now you will be required to take the stage and embrace your son or daughter, as the case may be. You don't want to appear looking as if you had been run over by an automobile after a night out. You want your appearance to give Mrs. Winfield as little of a shock as possible. Bear that in mind. Well, I must be going.”

And Kirk was alone again.

The food and the drink and the doctor's words had a good effect. His mind became quieter. He sat down and filled his pipe. After a few puffs he replaced it in his pocket. It seemed too callous to think of smoking now. The doctor was a good fellow, but he did not understand. All the same, he was glad that he had had that whisky. It had certainly put heart into him for the moment.

What was happening upstairs? He strained his ears, but could hear nothing.

Gradually, as he waited, his mood of morbid self-criticism returned. He had sunk once more into the depths when he was aware of a soft tapping.

The door bell rang very gently. He went to the door and opened it.

”I kinder thought I'd look in and see how things were getting along,”

said a voice.

It was Steve. A subdued and furtive Steve. Kirk's heart leaped at the sight of him. It was as if he had found something solid to cling to in a s.h.i.+fting world.

”Come in, Steve.”

He spoke huskily. Steve sidled into the studio, embarra.s.sment written on every line of him.

”Don't mind my b.u.t.ting in, do you? I've been walking up and down and round the block till every cop on the island's standing by waiting for me to pull something. Another minute and they'd have pinched me on suspicion. I just felt I had to come and see how Miss Ruth was making out.”

”The doctor was down here just now. He said everything was going well.”

”I guess he knows his business.”

There was a silence. Kirk's ears were straining for sounds from above.

”It's h.e.l.l,” said Steve.

Kirk nodded. This kind of talk was more what he wanted. The doctor meant well, but he was too professional. Steve was human.

”Go and get yourself a drink, Steve. I expect you need one.”

Steve shook his head.

”Waggon,” he said briefly. And there was silence again.

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