按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃There wasn't no one in them；〃 Dunn answered。 〃I only wanted to
make sure the young lady was telling the truth about there being
no servants in the house to sleep。〃
〃Did you look in all the attics； then？〃 asked Deede Dawson。
〃Yes；〃 answered Dunn。 〃'There was one as was locked； but I tooked
the liberty of forcing it just to make sure。 I ain't done no harm
to speak of。〃
〃You found one locked； eh？〃 said Deede Dawson； and his smile grew
still more pleasant and more friendly。 〃That must have surprised
you a good deal； didn't it？〃
〃I thought as perhaps there was some one waiting already to give
the alarm；〃 answered Dunn。 〃I didn't mind the old lady； but I
couldn't risk there being some one hiding there； so I had to look；
but I ain't done no damage to speak of； I could put it right for
you myself in half…an…hour； sir； if you'll let me。〃
〃Could you； indeed？〃 said Deede Dawson。 〃Well； and did you find
any one sleeping there？〃
But for that hairy disguise upon his cheeks and chin； Dunn would
almost certainly have betrayed himself； so dreadful did the question
seem to him； so poignant the double meaning that it bore； so clear
his memory of his friend he had found there； sleeping indeed。
But there was nothing to show his inner agitation； as he said；
shaking his head
〃There wasn't no one there； any more than in the other attics；
nothing but an old packing…case。〃
〃And what？〃 said Deede Dawson； his voice so soft it was like a
caress； his smile so sweet it was a veritable benediction。 〃What
was in that packing…case？〃
〃Didn't look；〃 answered Dunn； and then； with a sudden change of
manner； as though all at once understanding what previously had
puzzled him。 〃Lum…me；〃 he cried； 〃is that where you keep the
silver？ Lor'； and to think I never even troubled to look。〃
〃You never looked？〃 repeated Deede Dawson。
Dunn shook his head with an air of baffled regret。 〃Never thought
of it；〃 he said。 〃I thought it was just lumber like in the other
attics； and I might have got clear away with it if I had known； as
easy as not。〃
His chagrin was so apparent； his whole manner so innocent； that
Deede Dawson began to believe he really did know nothing。
〃Didn't you wonder why the door was locked？〃 he asked。
〃Lor'；〃 answered Dunn； 〃if you stopped to wonder about everything
you find rummy in a crib you're cracking； when would you ever get
your business done？〃
〃So you didn't look … in that packing…case？〃 Deede Dawson repeated。
〃If I had；〃 answered Dunn ruefully； 〃I shouldn't be here； copped
like this。 I should have shoved with the stuff and not waited for
nothing more。 But I never had no luck。〃
〃I'm not so sure of that；〃 said Deede Dawson grimly； and as he spoke
a soft voice called down from upstairs。
〃Is there any one there？〃 it said。 〃Oh； please； is any one there？〃
〃Is that you； Ella？〃 Deede Dawson called back。 〃Come down here。〃
〃I can't；〃 she answered。 〃I'm fastened to a chair。
〃I didn't hurt the young lady；〃 Dunn interposed quickly。 〃I only
tied her up as gentle as I could to a chair so as to stop her from
interfering。〃
〃Oh； that's it； is it？〃 said Deede Dawson； and seemed a little
amused； as though the thought of his stepdaughter's plight pleased
him rather than not。 〃Well； if she can't come down here； we'll go
up there。 Turn round； my man； and go up the stairs and keep your
hands over your head all the time。 I shan't hesitate to shoot if
you don't； and I never miss。〃
Dunn was not inclined to value his life at a very high price as he
turned and went awkwardly up the stairs； still holding his hands
above his head。
But he meant to save it if he could； for many things depended on
it； among them due punishment to be exacted for the crime he had
discovered this night； and also； perhaps； for the humiliation he
was now enduring。
CHAPTER VIII
CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE
Up the stairs； across the landing； and down the passage opposite
Dunn went in silence； shepherded by the little man behind whose
pistol was still levelled and still steady。
His hands held high in the air； he pushed open with his knee the
door of the girl's room and entered； and she looked up as he did
so with an expression of pure astonishment at his attitude of
upheld hands that changed to one of comprehension and of faint
amusement as Deede Dawson followed； revolver in hand。
〃Oh；〃 she murmured。 〃Captivity captive； it seems。〃
At the fireplace Dunn turned and found her looking at him very
intently； while from the doorway Deede Dawson surveyed them both；
for once his eyes appearing to share in the smile that played about
his lips as though he found much satisfaction in what he saw。
〃Well； Ella；〃 he said。 〃You've been having adventures； it seems；
but you don't look too comfortable like that。〃
〃Nor do I feel it；〃 she retorted。 〃So please set me free。〃
〃Yes； so I will；〃 he answered； but he still hesitated； and Dunn had
the idea that he was pleased to see the girl like this； and would
leave her so if he could； and that he was wondering now if he could
turn her predicament to his own advantage in any way。
〃Yes； I will；〃 he said again。 〃Your mother … ？〃
〃She hasn't wakened；〃 Ella answered。 〃I don't think she has heard
anything。 I don't suppose she will； for she took two of those pills
last night that Dr。 Rawson gave her for when she couldn't sleep。〃
〃It's just as well she did；〃 said Deede Dawson。
〃Yes； but please undo my hands；〃 she asked him。 〃The cords are
cutting my wrists dreadfully。〃
As she spoke she glanced at Dunn； standing by the fireplace and
listening gravely to what they said； and Deede Dawson exclaimed
with an air of great indignation〃 …
〃The fellow deserves to be well thrashed for treating you like that。
I've a good mind to do it； too； before handing him over to the
police。〃
〃But you haven 't released me yet；〃 she remarked。
〃Oh； yes； yes；〃 he said； starting as if this were quite a new idea。
〃I'll release you at once … but I must watch this scoundrel。 He
must have frightened you dreadfully。〃
〃Indeed he did not；〃 she answered quickly； again looking at Dunn。
〃No； he didn't；〃 she said again with a touch of defiance in her
manner and a certain slightly lifting her small； round chin。 〃At
least not much after just at first；〃 she added。
〃I'll loose you；〃 Deede Dawson said once more； and coming up to her；
he began to fumble in a feeble； ineffectual way at the cords that
secured her wrists。
〃Jove； he's tied you up pretty tight； Ella！〃 he said。
〃He believes in doing his work thoroughly； I suppose；〃 she remarked；
lifting her eyes to Dunn's with a look in them that was partly
questioning and partly puzzled and wholly elusive。 〃I daresay he
always likes to do everything thoroughly。〃
〃Seems so；〃 said Deede Dawson； giving up his fumbling and
ineffectual efforts to release her。
He stepped back and stood behind her chair； looking from her to Dunn
and back again； and once more Dunn was conscious of an impression
that he wished to make use for his own purposes of the girl's
position； but that he did not know how to do so。
〃You are a nice scoundrel；〃 said Deede Dawson suddenly； with