"You ain"t gwine ter be hard on "em, major?" Minerva pleaded.
He ignored her interruption and went on evenly:
"How many times did he come?"
"Twice, sah."
"He sho come in de night time den!" Andy broke in. "I nebber seed "im once!"
Norton bent close:
"How long did he stay?"
Minerva fidgeted, hesitated again and finally said:
"Once he stay about er hour----"
"And the other time?"
She looked in vain for a way of escape, the perspiration standing in beads on her shining black face:
"He stay all night, sah."
A moment of stillness followed. Norton"s eyes closed, and his face became a white mask. He breathed deeply and then spoke quietly:
"You--you knew they were married?"
"Ya.s.sah!" was the quick reply. "I seed "em married. Miss Helen axed me, sah."
Andy lifted his hands in solemn surprise and walled his eyes at Minerva:
"Well, "fore Gawd!"
Another moment of silence and Andy"s mouth was still open with wonder when a call like the crack of a revolver suddenly rang through the room:
"Andy!"
The negro dropped to his knees and lifted his hands:
"Don"t do nuttin" ter me, sah! "Fore de Lawd, major, I "clare I nebber knowed it! Dey fool me, sah--I"d a tole you sho!"
Norton frowned:
"Shut your mouth and get up."
"Ya.s.sah!" Andy cried. "Hit"s shet an" I"se up!"
He scrambled to his feet and watched his master.
"You and Minerva go down that back stairway into the bas.e.m.e.nt, fasten the windows and lock the doors."
Andy"s eyes were two white moons in the shadows as he cried through chattering teeth:
"G--g--odder mighty--what--what"s de matter, major?"
"Do as I tell you, quick!"
Andy dodged and leaped toward the door:
"R--right away, sah!"
"Pay no attention to anything Mr. Tom may say to you----"
"Nasah," Andy gasped. "I pay no "tension ter n.o.body, sah!"
"When you"ve fastened everything below, do the same on this floor and come back here--I want you."
"Y-y-yas--sah! R-r-r-right a-way, sah!"
Andy backed out, beckoning frantically to Minerva. She ignored him and watched Norton as he turned toward a window and looked vaguely out. As Andy continued his frantic calls she slipped to the doorway and whispered:
"G"long! I be dar in er minute. You po" fool, you can"t talk nohow. You"re skeered er de major. I"m gwine do my duty now, I"m gwine ter tell him sumfin" quick----"
Norton wheeled on her with sudden fury:
"Do as I tell you! Do as I tell you!"
Minerva dodged at each explosion, backing away. She paused and extended her hand pleadingly:
"Can"t I put in des one little word, sah?"
"Not another word!" he thundered, advancing on her--"Go!"
"Ya.s.sah!"
"Go! I tell you!"
Dodging again, she hurried below to join Andy. Norton turned back into the room and stood staring at something that gleamed with sinister brightness from the top of the little writing desk. An electric lamp with crimson shade seemed to focus every ray of light on the shining steel and a devil in the shadows pointed a single finger and laughed:
"It"s ready--just where you laid it!"
He took a step toward the desk, stopped and gripped the back of the settee, steadied himself, and glared at the thing with fascination. He walked unsteadily to the chair in front of the desk and stared again. His hand moved to grasp the revolver and hesitated. And then, the last thought of pity strangled, he gripped the handle, lifted it with quick familiar touch, grasped the top clasp, loosed the barrel, threw the cylinder open and examined the sh.e.l.ls, dropped them into his hand and saw that there were no blanks. One by one he slowly replaced them, snapped the cylinder in place and put the weapon in his pocket.
He glanced about the room furtively, walked to each of the tall French windows, closed the shutters and carefully drew the heavy draperies. He turned the switch of the electric lights, extinguishing all in the room save the small red one burning on the desk. He would need that in a moment.
He walked softly to the foot of the stairs and called:
"Tom!"