"Then it _was_ the poison!"
"Yes."
"Give it back to me!" she implored, like a bereft child. "Oh, give it to me!"
"Why do you want to kill yourself?"
She looked at him in dumb despair.
"How did you get here?" he demanded.
"Your fire escape."
"And to that from the garden wall, I suppose? So _you_ were Ely Crouch"s companion," he cried with a changed voice.
"Don"t," she shuddered, throwing her right arm over her face.
"I beg your pardon," he said gently. "Take a swallow of this water.
What"s the matter with your arm? Are you hurt?"
"No." Her eyes would not meet his. They were fixed obstinately upon the pocket into which he had dropped the poison.
"It"s incredible!" he burst out. "You with your youth and loveliness!
With everything that makes life sweet for yourself and others. What madness--" He broke off and his voice softened into persuasion. "We were almost friends, once. Can"t I--won"t you let me help? Don"t you think you can trust me?"
She raised her eyes to his, and he read in them hopeless terror. "Yes, I could trust you. But there is only one help for me now. And you"ve taken it from me."
"Who can tell? You"ve been badly frightened," he said in as soothing a tone as he could command. "Try to believe that no harm can come to you here, and that I--I would give the blood of my heart to save you from harm or danger. You said you could trust me. What was your errand with Ely Crouch?"
"Money."
"Money!" he repeated, drawing back.
"It was our own; my sister"s and mine. Mr. Crouch had it. He had managed our affairs since my father"s death. I could never get an accounting from him. To-day the doctor told me that Alice must go away at once for an operation. And to-day Mr. Crouch made this appointment for to-night."
"Didn"t you know his reputation? Weren"t you afraid?"
"I didn"t think of fear. When I told him how matters stood, he offered me money, but--but--Oh, I can"t tell you!"
"No need," he said quickly. "I know what he is. I was joking when I spoke of killing him, a little while ago. By G.o.d, I wish I had killed him! It isn"t too late now."
"It _is_ too late."
Her eyes, dilated, were fixed upon his.
"Why? How--too late?" he stammered.
"I killed him."
"_You_! You--killed--Ely--Crouch?"
"He had a cane," she said, in a hurried, flat, half-whisper. "When he caught at me, I tried to get it to defend myself. The handle pulled out.
There was a dagger on it. He came at me again. I didn"t realize what I was doing. All I could see was that hateful face drawing nearer. Then it changed and he seemed to dissolve into a hideous heap. I didn"t mean to kill him." Her voice rose in the struggle against hysteria. "G.o.d knows, I didn"t mean to kill him."
"Hush!"
His hands fell on her shoulders and held her against the onset. Energy and resolution quickened in his eyes. "Who knows of your being in the garden?"
"No one."
"Any one see you climb the wall and come here?"
"No."
"Or know that you had an appointment with him?"
"No."
"Will you do exactly as I tell you?"
"What is the use?" she said dully.
"I"m going to get you out of here."
"I should have to face it later. I couldn"t face it--the horror and shame of it. I"d rather die a thousand times." She lifted her arms, the coat opened, and the cane-handled blade dropped to the floor, and rolled. She shuddered away from it. "I kept that for myself, but I couldn"t do it. It"s got his blood on it. When I heard the doctor speak of the poison, it seemed like a miracle of Providence sent to guide me.
Oh, give it to me! Is it"--she faltered--"is it quick?"
"Steady!" Stooping he picked up the weapon. "It needn"t come to that, if you can play your part. Have you got the courage to walk out of this house and go home to safety? Absolute safety!"
She searched his face in bewilderment. "I--don"t know."
"If I give you my word of honor that it depends only on yourself?"
"How?"
"Pull yourself together. Go downstairs quietly. Turn to your left.
You"ll see a door. It opens on the street. Walk out with your head up, and go home. You"re as safe as though you"d never seen Ely Crouch.
There"s no clue to you."
"No clue! Look down the fire escape!"
He crossed the room at a bound. Beneath him, its evil snout pointed upwards, sat the dead man"s familiar spirit.
"Good G.o.d! The ferret!"
"It"s been sitting there, watching, watching, watching."
"The more reason for haste. Pull yourself together. Forward, _march_!"
he cried, pressing his will upon her.