Part 62 (2/2)

”Are we not going by train?” she asked.

”No; it is too late. Just gone. Come along, and don't talk.”

She hurried along by his side, for he was walking very fast, and only noticed that they went through a perfect maze of narrow turnings, now up, now down, Huish stopping from time to time to look back to see if they were followed.

He kept this up for nearly an hour, and Gertrude was getting hot and exhausted, when he turned sharply into a darker and narrower lane, glancing rapidly up and down the deserted place with its two or three lamps and dimly-lighted public-house. The next moment he had thrust her into a heavy doorway, there was a rattle of a latch-key, and Gertrude felt herself drawn into a dark pa.s.sage, and the door was closed.

”John!” she whispered, as the tremor which had before attacked her returned.

”Safe at last!” he muttered, drawing his breath with a low hiss, and not heeding her. ”Tired?”

”Rather, dear,” she panted. ”But, John, what place is this?”

”My sanctuary,” he said, in a peculiar voice. ”Give me your hand. Come along. I'll tell you when the stairs begin.”

He led her along the dark pa.s.sage, and a strange chill of dread struck upon Gertrude. As they reached the first landing, a light suddenly shone out, and a few steps higher she gazed wonderingly at the weird figure of an old woman, with long, grey, unkempt hair, holding an ill-smelling paraffin lamp high above her head.

There was an intent, curious, inquiring look in the old woman's eyes, as they seemed to fasten upon the new-comer, gradually growing vindictive, as they pa.s.sed her without a word.

”Who is that?” whispered Gertrude.

”Servant,” said Huish laconically. ”Won't make you jealous, eh?”

”John,” she whispered back in a pained voice; ”why do you speak to me like that?”

”Oh, it's only my way,” he said flippantly. ”Come along.”

They went up farther, and, reaching the second floor, Huish threw open the door of a comfortable, well-lit room, and drew her in, hastily opened the door of communication with the next room, satisfied himself that it was empty, went on and locked the farther door leading out to the landing, and returned.

”There,” he said; ”you will be safe here.”

”Oh yes, John dear,” she said, gazing at him wonderingly, ”his manner seemed so strange; but I am so anxious to know.”

”Yes, yes; all in good time, dear,” he cried. ”There, off with that hat and jacket. Why, my dear,” he cried, ”you look lovely!”

There was a hot red spot in his cheeks as he spoke in a curiously excited way, and Gertrude felt a strange sense of shrinking as he hastily s.n.a.t.c.hed away her jacket, threw it on a chair, and clasped her in his arms.

”John,” she cried, struggling to free herself, ”look! look!”

He loosed his grasp and turned suddenly upon a figure which stood right in the doorway, that of a tall handsome woman, looking ghastly pale, and her great eyes dilated with rage and surprise. She had evidently risen from a sick couch, and wore a long loose white dressing-gown, which, with her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders, gave her an almost supernatural look, heightened by the silence in which she gazed from one to another.

”What are you doing here?” cried Huish sharply. ”I thought you were in bed--ill.”

”I was,” replied the woman slowly, ”till I heard you return.”

”Go back to it then,” he said brutally; ”why do you come here?”

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