Part 62 (1/2)
Heinzman was trembling violently as though from a chill.
”Dake me somewheres,” he whispered hoa.r.s.ely. ”Somewheres quick. I haf broke quarantine, and dey vill be after me.”
”The place for you is at your own house,” said Orde, his anger rising.
”What do you mean by coming here and exposing my house to infection?”
Heinzman began to blubber; choked, s.h.i.+vered all over, and cried aloud with an expression of the greatest agony:
”You must dake me somewheres. I must talk with you and your goot wife. I haf somedings to say to you.” He in his turn grasped Orde by the arm. ”I haf broke quarantine to gome and tell you. Dey are dere mit shotguns to kill me if I broke quarantine. And I haf left my daughter, my daughter Mina, all alone mit dose people to come and tell you. And now you don't listen.”
He wrung his hands dramatically, his soft pudgy body shaking.
”Come with me,” said Orde briefly.
He led the way around the house to the tool shed. Here he lit a lantern, thrust forward one nail keg, and sat down on another.
Heinzman sat down on the nail keg, almost immediately arose, walked up and down two or three times, and resumed his seat.
Orde looked at him curiously. He was half dressed, without a collar, his thin hair unkempt. The usual bright colour of his cheeks had become livid, and the flesh, ordinarily firm and elastic, had fallen in folds and wrinkles. His eyes burned bright as though from some internal fire.
A great restlessness possessed him. Impulsively Orde leaned forward to touch his hand. It was dry and hot.
”What is it, Heinzman?” he asked quietly, fully prepared for the vagaries of a half delirium.
”Ach, Orde!” cried the German, ”I am tortured mit HOLLENQUALLE--what you call?--h.e.l.l's fire. You, whose wife comes in and saves my Mina when the others runs away. You, my best friends! It is SCHRECKLICH! She vas the n.o.blest, the best, the most kindest--”
”If you mean Mrs. Orde's staying with Mina,” broke in Orde, ”it was only what any one should have done, in humanity; and I, for one, am only too glad she had the chance. You mustn't exaggerate. And now you'd better get home where you can be taken care of. You're sick.”
”No, no, my friend,” said Heinzman, vigourously shaking his head. ”She might take the disease. She might die. It vas n.o.ble.” He shuddered. ”My Mina left to die all alone!”
Orde rose to his feet with decision.
”That is all right,” said he. ”Carroll was glad of the chance. Now let me get you home.”
But Heinzman's excitement had suddenly died.
”No,” said he, extending his trembling hand; ”sit down. I want to talk business.”
”You are in no condition to talk business,” said Orde.
”No!” cried Heinzman with unexpected vigour. ”Sit down! Listen to me!
Dot's better. I haf your note for sefenty-five t'ousand dollars. No?”
Orde nodded.
”Dot money I never lent you. NO! I'm not crazy. Sit still! I know my name is on dot note. But the money came from somewheres else. It came from your partner, Joseph Newmark.”
Orde half rose from his keg.