Part 32 (1/2)

”You're right,” he said. ”I'm not going to shoot. But there are other ways, you whipper-snapper--” He dropped the revolver into his pocket and sprang forward. For the second time within ten minutes Mr. Magee steadied himself for conflict.

But Hayden stopped. Some one had entered the room through the window behind Magee. In the dim light of the single candle Magee saw Hayden's face go white, his lip twitch, his eyes glaze with horrible surprise.

His arms fell limply to his sides.

”Good G.o.d! Kendrick!” he cried.

The voice of the man with whom Billy Magee had but a moment before struggled on the balcony answered:

”Yes, Hayden. I'm back.”

Hayden wet his lips with his tongue.

”What--what brought you?” he asked, his voice trailing off weakly on the last word.

”What brought me?” Suddenly, as from a volcano that had long been cold, fire blazed up in Kendrick's eyes. ”If a man knew the road from h.e.l.l back home, what would it need to bring him back?”

Hayden stood with his mouth partly open; almost a grotesque picture of terror he looked in that dim light. Then he spoke, in an odd strained tone, more to himself than to any one else.

”I thought you were dead,” he said. ”I told myself you'd never come back. Over and over--in the night--I told myself that. But all the time--I knew--I knew you'd come.”

A cry--a woman's cry--sounded from just outside the door of number seven. Into the room came Myra Thornhill; quickly she crossed and took Kendrick's hands in hers.

”David,” she sobbed. ”Oh, David--is it a dream--a wonderful dream?”

Kendrick looked into her eyes, sheepishly at first, then gladly as he saw what was in them. For the light there, under the tears, was such as no man could mistake. Magee saw it. Hayden saw it too, and his voice was even more lifeless when he spoke.

”Forgive me, David,” he said. ”I didn't mean--”

And then, as he saw that Kendrick did not listen, he turned and walked quietly into the bedroom of number seven, taking no notice of Cargan and Bland, who, with the other winter guests of Baldpate, now crowded the doorway leading to the hall. Hayden closed the bedroom door. Mr. Magee and the others stood silent, wondering. Their answer came quickly--the sharp cry of a revolver behind that closed door.

It was Mr. Magee who went into the bedroom. The moonlight streamed in through the low windows, and fell brightly on the bed. Across this Hayden lay. Mr. Magee made sure. It was not a pleasant thing to make sure of. Then he took the revolver from the hand that still clasped it, covered the quiet figure on the bed, and stepped back into the outer room.

”He--he has killed himself,” he said in a low voice, closing the bedroom door behind him.

There was a moment's frightened hush; then the voice of Kendrick rang out:

”Killed himself? I don't understand. Why should he do that? Surely not because--no--” He looked questioningly into the white face of the girl at his side; she only shook her head. ”Killed himself,” he repeated, like a man wakened from sleep. ”I don't understand.”

On tiptoe the amateur hermits of Baldpate descended to the hotel office.

Mr. Magee saw the eyes of the girl of the station upon him, wide with doubt and alarm. While the others gathered in little groups and talked, he took her to one side.

”When does the next train leave for Reuton?” he asked her.

”In two hours--at ten-thirty,” she replied.

”You must be on it,” he told her. ”With you will go the two-hundred-thousand-dollar package. I have it in my pocket now.”

She took the news stolidly, and made no reply.

”Are you afraid?” asked Magee gently. ”You mustn't be. No harm can touch you. I shall stay here and see that no one follows.”