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！
In alarm the naked one with a gesture commanded silence。
The library led to the front hall。 In this was the coat…room。
First making sure the library and hall were free of servants；
Fred tiptoed to the coat…room and； opening the door； switched： on
the electric light。 The naked man； leaving in his wake a trail of
damp footprints； followed at his heels。
Fred pointed at golf…capes； sweaters； greatcoats hanging from
hooks； and on the floor at boots and overshoes。
〃Put on that motor…coat and the galoshes；〃 he commanded。 〃They'll
cover you in case you have to run for it。 I'm going to leave you
here while I get you some clothes。 If any of the servants butt
in； don't lose your head。 Just say you're waiting to see meMr。
Keep。 I won't be long。 Wait。〃
〃Wait！〃 snorted the stranger。 〃You BET I'll wait！'
As Fred closed the door upon him； the naked one was rubbing
himself violently with Mrs。 Keep's yellow golf…jacket。
In his own room Fred collected a suit of blue serge； a tennis
shirt； boots； even a tie。 Underclothes he found ready laid out
for him； and he snatched them from the bed。 From a roll of money
in his bureau drawer he counted out a hundred dollars。 Tactfully
he slipped the money in the trousers pocket of the serge suit and
with the bundle of clothes in his arms raced downstairs and
shoved them into the coat…room。
〃Don't come out until I knock；〃 he commanded。 〃And；〃 he added in
a vehement whisper； 〃don't come out at all unless you have
clothes on！〃
The stranger grunted。
Fred rang for Gridley and told him to have his car brought around
to the door。 He wanted it to start at once within two minutes。
When the butler had departed； Fred； by an inch； again opened the
coat…room door。 The stranger had draped himself in the
underclothes and the shirt； and at the moment was carefully
arranging the tie。
〃Hurry！〃 commanded Keep。 〃The car'll be here in a minute。 Where
shall I tell him to take you？〃
The stranger chuckled excitedly； his confidence seemed to be
returning。 〃New York；〃 he whispered； 〃fast as he can get there！
Look here；〃 he added doubtfully； 〃there's a roll of bills in
these clothes。〃
〃They're yours；〃 said Fred。
The stranger exclaimed vigorously。 〃You're all right！〃 he
whispered。 〃I won't forget this； or you either。 I'll send the
money back same time I send the clothes。〃
〃Exactly！〃 said Fred。
The wheels of the touring…car crunched on the gravel drive； and
Fred slammed to the door； and like a sentry on guard paced before
it。 After a period which seemed to stretch over many minutes
there came from the inside a cautious knocking。 With equal
caution Fred opened the door of the width of a finger； and put
his ear to the crack。
〃You couldn't find me a button…hook； could you？〃 whispered the
stranger。
Indignantly Fred shut the door and； walking to the veranda；
hailed the chauffeur。 James； the chauffeur； was a Keepsburg boy；
and when Keep had gone to Cambridge James had accompanied him。
Keep knew the boy could be trusted。
〃You're to take a man to New York；〃 he said； 〃or wherever he
wants to go。 Don't talk to him。 Don't ask any questions。 So； if
YOU'RE questioned； you can say you know nothing。 That's for your
own good！〃
The chauffeur mechanically touched his cap and started down the
steps。 As he did so； the prison whistle； still unsatisfied； still
demanding its prey； shattered the silence。 As though it had hit
him a physical blow； the youth jumped。 He turned and lifted
startled； inquiring eyes to where Keep stood above him。
〃I told you；〃 said Keep； 〃to ask no questions。
As Fred re…entered the hall； Winnie Keep was coming down the
stairs toward him。 She had changed to one of the prettiest
evening gowns of her trousseau； and so outrageously lovely was
the combination of herself and the gown that her husband's
excitement and anxiety fell from him； and he was lost in
admiration。 But he was not for long lost。 To his horror； the door
of the coat…closet opened toward his wife and out of the closet
the stranger emerged。 Winnie； not accustomed to seeing young men
suddenly appear from among the dust…coats； uttered a sharp
shriek。
With what he considered great presence of mind； Fred swung upon
the visitor
〃Did you fix it？〃 he demanded。
The visitor did not heed him。 In amazement in abject admiration；
his eyes were fastened upon the beautiful and radiant vision
presented by Winnie Keep。 But he also still preserved sufficient
presence of mind to nod his head dully。
〃Come；〃 commanded Fred。 〃The car is waiting。〃
Still the stranger did not move。 As though he had never before
seen a woman； as though her dazzling loveliness held him in a
trance； he stood still； gazing； gaping； devouring Winnie with his
eyes。 In her turn； Winnie beheld a strange youth who looked like
a groom out of livery； so overcome by her mere presence as to be
struck motionless and inarticulate。 For protection she moved in
some alarm toward her husband。
The stranger gave a sudden jerk of his body that might have been
intended for a bow。 Before Keep could interrupt him； like a
parrot reciting its lesson； he exclaimed explosively：
〃My name's Van Warden。 I'm Harry Van Warden。〃
He seemed as little convinced of the truth of his statement as
though he had announced that he was the Czar of Russia。 It was as
though a stage…manager had drilled him in the lines。
But upon Winnie； as her husband saw to his dismay； the words
produced an instant and appalling effect。 She fairly radiated
excitement and delight。 How her husband had succeeded in
capturing the social prize of Scarboro she could not imagine；
but； for doing so； she flashed toward him a glance of deep and
grateful devotion。
Then she beamed upon the stranger。 〃Won't Mr。 Van Warden stay to
dinner？〃 she asked。
Her husband emitted a howl。 〃He will NOT！〃 he cried。 〃He's not
that kind of a Van Warden。 He's a plumber。 He's the man that
fixes the telephone！〃
He seized the visitor by the sleeve of the long motor…coat and
dragged him down the steps。 Reluctantly； almost resistingly； the
visitor stumbled after him； casting backward amazed glances at
the beautiful lady。 Fred thrust him into the seat beside the
chauffeur。 Pointing at the golf…cap and automobile goggles which
the stranger was stupidly twisting in his hands； Fred whispered
fiercely：
〃Put those on！ Cover your face！ Don't speak！ The man knows what
to do。〃
With eager eyes and parted lips James the chauffeur was waiting
for the signal。 Fred nodded sharply； and the chauffeur stooped to
throw in the clutch。 But the car did not start。 From the hedge
beside the driveway； directly in front of the wheels； something
on all fours threw itself upon the gravel； something in a suit of
purple…gray； something torn and bleeding； smeared with sweat and
dirt； something that cringed and crawled； that tried to rise and
sank back upon its knees； lifting to the glare of the head…lights
the white face and white hair of a very old； old man。 The
kneeling figure sobbed； the sobs rising from far down in the pit
of the stomach； wrenching the body like waves of nausea。 The man
stretched his arms toward them。 From long disuse his voice
cracked and broke。
〃I'm done！〃 he sobbed。 〃I can't go no farther！ I give myself up！〃
Above the awful silence that held the four young people； the
prison siren shrieked in one long； mocking howl of triumph。
It was the stranger who was the first to act。 Pushing past Fred；
and slipping from his own shoulders the long motor…coat； he
flung it over the suit of purple…gray。 The goggles he clapped
upon the old man's frightened eyes； the golf…cap he pulled down
over the white hair。 With one arm he lifted the convict； and with
the other dragged and pushed him into the seat beside the
chauffeur。 Into the hands of the chauffeur he thrust the roll of
bills。
〃Get him away！〃 he ordered。 〃It's only twelve miles to the
Connecticut line。 As soon as you're across； buy him clothes and a
ticket to Boston。 Go through White Plains to Greenwichand then
you're safe！〃
As though suddenly remembering the presence of the owner of the
car； he swung upon Fred。 〃Am I right？〃 he demanded。
〃Of course！〃 roared Fred。 He flung his arm at the chauffeur as
though throwing him into space。
〃Get…to…hell…out…of…here！〃 he shouted。
The chauffeur； by profession a criminal； but by birth a human
being； chuckled savagely and this time threw in the clutch。 With
a grinding of gravel the racing…car leaped into the night； its
ruby rear lamp winking in farewell； its tiny siren answering the
great siren of the prison in jeering notes of joy and victory。
Fred had supposed that at the last moment the younger convict
proposed to leap to the running…board； but instead the stranger
remained motionless。
Fred shouted impotently after the flying car。 In dismay he seized
the stranger by the arm。
〃But you？〃 he demanded。 〃How are you going to get away？〃
The stranger turned appealingly to where upon the upper step
stood Winnie Keep。
〃I don't want to get away；〃 he said。 〃I was hoping； maybe； you'd
let me stay to dinner。〃
A terrible and icy chill crept down the spine of Fred Keep。 He
moved so that the light from the h