"I can"t, Quarren! I----"
"You promised not to come in until that man had left----"
"I know it. I meant to--but, good G.o.d! Quarren! I can"t stand there----"
He was struggling toward Sprowl and Quarren was trying to push him back into the hall.
"You said that you had given up any idea of personal vengeance!" he panted. "Let me deal with him quietly----"
"I didn"t know what I was saying," retorted Ledwith, straining away from the man who held him, his eyes fixed on Sprowl. "I tell you I can"t remain quiet and see that blackguard in this house----"
"But he"s going I tell you! He"s going without a row--without any noise.
Can"t you let me manage it----"
He could not drag Ledwith to the door, so he forced him into a chair and stood guard, glancing back across his shoulder at Sprowl.
"You"d better go," he said in a low but perfectly distinct voice.
Sprowl, still holding his cigar, sauntered forward into the drawing-room.
"I suppose you are armed," he said contemptuously. "If you threaten me I"ll take away your guns and slap both your faces--ask the other pup how it feels, Quarren."
Ledwith struggled to rise but Quarren had him fast.
"Get out of here, Sprowl," he said. "You"ll have a bad time of it if he gets away from me."
Sprowl stared, hands in his pockets, puffing his cigar.
"I"ve a notion to kick you both out," he drawled.
"It would be a mistake," panted Quarren. "Can"t you go while there"s time, Sprowl! I tell you he"ll kill you in this room if you don"t."
"I won"t--_kill_ him!--Let go of me, Quarren," gasped Ledwith. "I--I won"t do murder; I"ve promised you that--for _her_ sake----"
"Let him loose, Quarren," said Sprowl.
He waited for a full minute, watching the struggling men in silent contempt. Then with a shrug he went out into the hall, leisurely put on his hat, picked up his stick, opened the door, and sauntered out into the darkness.
"Now," breathed Quarren fiercely, "you play the man or I"m through with you! He"s gone and he won"t come back--I"ll see to that! And it"s up to you to show what you"re made of!"
Ledwith, freed, stood white and breathing hard for a few moments. Then a dull flush suffused his thin face; he looked down, stood with hanging head, until Quarren laid a hand on his shoulder.
"It"s up to you, Ledwith," he said quietly. "I don"t blame you for losing your head a moment, but if you mean what you said, I should say that this is your chance.... And if I were you I"d simply go upstairs and speak to her.... She"s been through h.e.l.l.... She"s in it still. But _you"re_ out; and you can stay out if you choose. There"s no need to wallow if you don"t want to. You"re not in very good shape yet, but you"re a man. And now, if you do care for her, I really believe it"s up to you.... Will you go upstairs?"
Ledwith turned and went out into the familiar hall. Then, as though dazed, resting one thin hand on the rail, he mounted the stairway, head hanging, feeling his way blindly back toward all that life had ever held for him, but which he had been too weak to keep or even to defend.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ""Let him loose, Quarren," said Sprowl."]
Quarren waited for a while; Ledwith did not return. After a few minutes an excited maid came down, stared at him, then, rea.s.sured, opened the door for him with a smile. And he went out into the starlight.
He had been walking for only a few moments when he overtook Sprowl sauntering down a lane; and the latter glanced around and, recognising him, halted.
"Where"s the other hero?" he asked.
"Probably discussing you with the woman he is likely to remarry."
Sprowl shrugged:
"That"s what that kind of a man is made for--to marry what others don"t have to marry."
"You lie," said Quarren quietly.
Sprowl stared at him: then the long-pent fury overwhelmed his common sense again, and again it was in regard to the woman he had lost by his violence.
"You know," he said, measuring his words, "that you"re the same kind of a man, too. And some day, if you"re good, you can marry what I don"t have to marry----"
He reeled under Quarren"s blow, then struck at him blindly with his walking-stick, leaping at him savagely but recoiling, dizzy, half senseless under another blow so terrific that it almost nauseated him.
He stood for a time, supporting himself against a tree; then as his wits returned he lifted his bruised face and stared murderously about him.
Quarren was walking toward Witch-Hollow--half way there already and out of earshot as well as sight.
Against the stars something moved on a near hill-top, and Sprowl reeled forward in pursuit, breaking into a heavy and steady run as the thing disappeared in the darkness. But he had seen it move, just beyond that fence, and he seized the top rail and got over and ran forward in the darkness, clutching his stick and calling to Quarren by name.
Where had he gone? He halted to listen, peering around with swollen eyes. Blood dripped from his lips and cheek; he pa.s.sed his hand over them, glaring, listening. Suddenly he heard a dull sound close behind him in the night; whirled to confront what was coming with an unseen rush, thundering down on him, shaking the very ground.
He made no outcry; there was no escape, nothing to do but to strike; and he struck with every atom of his strength; and went crashing down into darkness. And over his battered body bellowed and raged the bull.
Even the men who found them there in the morning could scarcely drive away the half-crazed brute. And the little daughter of the gardener, who had discovered what was there in the pasture, cowered in the fence corner, crying her heart out for her father"s dead master who had spoken kindly to her since she had grown up and who had even taken her into his arms and kissed her the day before when she had brought him a rare orchid from the greenhouse.
Every newspaper in America gave up the right-hand columns to huge headlines and an account of the tragedy at South Linden. Every paper in the world chronicled it. There were few richer men in the world than Langly Sprowl. The tragedy moved everybody in various ways; stocks, however, did not move either way to the surprise of everybody. On second thoughts, however, the world realised that his wealth had been too solidly invested to cause a flurry. Besides he had a younger brother financing something or other for the Emperor of China. Now he would return. The great race would not become extinct.
That night Quarren went back to the Wycherlys and found Molly waiting for him in the library.
"What on earth did Mary Ledwith want of Jim this evening?" she asked.
"Sprowl was in the house."
"What!"
"That"s why the poor child telephoned. She was probably afraid of him, and wanted Jim there."
Molly"s teeth clicked: