"I know--but I"m tired."
There was no mistaking the sincerity of this. It was a poignant outcry.
Clearly, she was at the breaking-point. He took both her hands.
"This whole experience gives me the oddest feeling," he told her gently.
"In one way, I seem to be dreaming it. Under it all there"s a conviction that I"m on the track of the mystery; that everything will be cleared up, for us both, in another minute or two. It"s merely an instinct. I can"t explain it. But one thing I know. Sooner or later--sooner, I hope--I shall be able to work it out for you."
She seemed suddenly to remember that he was holding her hands. Flushing, she gently withdrew them. Then she turned, and with a brusque gesture walked away from him.
"I"m sorry I got you into this!" she cried.
"Don"t worry about me." He smiled at her from the door he was holding open. "May I come and take you to lunch to-morrow?"
"Not to-morrow. The next day, perhaps."
"We"ve got to look for that job, you know."
"With all this?" She indicated with the toe of her slipper a significant spot on the rug.
Laurie regarded the slipper with approval. It was a beautiful slipper, on a charming foot. It so diverted his mind from the main issue of the conversation that he was in the elevator and half-way down to the ground floor before he recalled that issue. He was not disturbed. Doris had enough to go on with; and certainly he himself had sufficient scope for thought in the revelations she had just made.
As he walked down the outer steps of the studio building and emerged on the sidewalk, a figure detached itself from the shadow of a low iron fence and stealthily followed him. It was a short figure, overcoated out of recognition. It carried its hands in its pockets, and its head was thrust forward in a peculiar way. It kept a dozen feet behind him, until he reached the pretentious entrance of the apartment building where he dwelt.
Here, in the glaring light of two huge electric globes, conveniently held aloft for him by a pair of bronze warriors, Laurie turned suddenly, warned by the inner sense that tells us we are watched. The figure behind ducked modestly into the background, but not until he had recognized the round face and projecting eyes of Herbert Ransome Shaw.
Laurie checked a pa.s.sionate impulse to hurl himself upon that lurking and unpleasant shape. Slowly but surely he was learning self-control.
Martin, the elevator operator, and Griggs, the night hall man, were already bidding him good evening and regarding him with friendly and interested eyes. To see him suddenly fall upon and beat a shabby stranger would surprise and pain them, besides unpleasantly stirring up the neighborhood. A better opportunity would present itself, or could be made.
In the meantime, however, he must convey to Herbert Ransome Shaw some idea of the utter contempt in which he held him. Taking Griggs confidentially by the arm, Laurie pointed out the skulking shadow.
"See that?" he asked in ringing tones.
Griggs was a Goliath in proportions and deliberate in his movements. He took his time to discover the object young Devon indicated. In the shadow the object stirred restlessly.
"Yessir," Griggs then said, uncertainly. "It"s--it"s a man, sir."
"Is it?" asked Laurie with interest, and still in loud, clear tones.
"I"m afraid you"re mistaken. But whatever it is, _step_ on it!"
He entered the elevator after this crisp instruction, and was wafted up to his rooms. The hall man moved hesitatingly down the building"s three steps to the sidewalk. One never knew exactly what young Devon was getting at. Still, if he really wanted Griggs to step on anything--
Griggs stopped. A slight sensation of disappointment swept over him. He was a conscientious man who desired to do his duty. But there was absolutely nothing for him to step on, except the snow-covered and otherwise inoffensive pavement.
CHAPTER VIII
SAMUEL PLAYS A NEW GAME
The next morning Laurie awoke from troubled dreams with a vague feeling that life was getting a rise out of him, a feeling that the absent morning greeting of Rodney Bangs did not help to dissipate.
Without realizing it, young Devon had rather sunned himself in the adulation of his chum. When this adulation was removed, he missed it; and for the present, at least, there was no question that adulation was lacking.
Not that Bangs failed in any of the outward forms of friendship, but his manner had changed. He was increasingly preoccupied. When Laurie spoke, Bangs had the effect of coming to him from a long distance, and even of having one foot extended, as it were, for the return journey.
The two young men breakfasted together, for the first time in several days; and over their coffee and cigarettes Laurie confided to his friend his new anxiety about Mrs. Ordway.
Bangs at once became human. Indeed, he showed a degree of solicitude that surprised his friend. It was suddenly clear that Rodney was vastly interested in Louise. He had even ventured to call on her, though Laurie did not yet know this; for the first call was made, as it happened, on the afternoon of the day when the two young men had indulged in their first serious quarrel.
Bangs, usually the most modest and self-conscious of youths, had abruptly lost his shyness under the urge of a need to talk about his chum to some one who would understand. And Louise had understood, quite surprisingly. Recalling the long talk he and she had had, the help she had given him, the plans they had made, Rodney grew very serious.
"It"s lucky Sonya"s in town," he said, when this further fact had been revealed. "Let"s go over to the hotel and see her right after breakfast.
Perhaps we ought to cable to Warren. Sonya will know."
He spoke with such studied carelessness that Laurie flashed a sudden look at him. Under it Bangs flushed to the roots of his burnished pompadour.
"Well, well," murmured Laurie, "this _is_ interesting! Odd I didn"t notice it before."
Whatever "it" was, he gave his whole attention to it now. Leaning forward, he ostentatiously studied Bangs, with an expression at once indulgent and amazed.
"A flush on his cheek, too," he mused aloud.
"Shut up!" Bangs clenched his teeth, while the flush deepened.
"Easily irritated; respiration slightly irregular, all the familiar symptoms."
"For G.o.d"s sake, Laurie, don"t be an a.s.s!" begged Bangs.
"All the familiar symptoms--of a heavy cold," murmured Laurie, sympathetically. "A hot bath and a dose of quinine might help at this stage. But if it gets worse--" Laurie reflected, anxiously shaking his head--"if it gets worse I"ll send for Sonya," he finished brightly.
He rose, dodged the roll Rodney hurled at him, and strolled out of the room, opening the door again to add an afterthought that suddenly occurred to him.
"Don"t risk your life by going to the hotel, old man," he added, kindly.
"Take your quinine, and I will call on Sonya."
"She"ll tell us whether or not to cable for Warren," repeated Bangs, with great dignity.
But Sonya, when she came into her hotel sitting-room an hour later, did not immediately solve this problem. For the moment her mind was wholly on the Infant Samuel, who was to have his adenoids cut out that morning, and who had been encouraged to look forward to the experience as a new delight. While they were expressing fitting interest, Samuel himself entered the room, alone, but with all the effect of a juvenile procession. By the left leg he dragged his most cherished possession, a battered and dim-featured rag doll. Hospitably greeting the two young men, he solemnly presented the doll to Bangs.
"What"s this?" asked Rodney, with a friendly impulse to adapt his conversation to the young.
"Hullen," affirmed Samuel, "Hullen, R. J."
"What does that mean?" Bangs appealed to Sonya.
"It"s the doll"s name. He gave it to her himself. "Hullen," I suppose, means Helen, and Mr. Warren"s initials, you know, are R. J. Evidently Samuel liked the sound of them."