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put them on her shoulder； with the fingers outspread to encircle her
throat。 It seemed to him that when she acknowledged the ownership
of the handkerchief she acknowledged also the perpetration of the
deed； and he became a little mad； and he had it in his mind that the
slightest； the very slightest； pressure of his fingers on that soft；
round throat would put it for ever out of her power to do such things
again。 Then for himself death would be easy and welcome； and there
would be an end to all these doubts and fears that racked him with
anguish beyond bearing。
〃What are you going to do？〃 she asked； making no attempt to resist
or escape。
Ever so slightly the pressure of his hands upon her throat
strengthened and increased。 A very little more and the lovely
thing of life he watched would be broken and cold for ever。 Her
eyes were steady； she showed no sign of fear； she stood perfectly
still； her hands loosely clasped together before her。 He groaned；
and his arms fell to his side； helpless。 Without the slightest
change of expression； she
said：
〃What were you going to do？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he answered。 〃Do you ever go mad？ I do； I think。
Perhaps you do too； and that explains it。 Do you know where Charley
Wright is？〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered directly。 〃Why？ Did you know him； then？〃
〃You know where he is now？〃 Dunn repeated。
She nodded quietly。
〃I heard from him only last week；〃 she said。
〃I am certainly mad or you are；〃 he muttered； staring at her with
eyes in which such wonder and horror showed that it seemed there
really was a touch of madness there。
〃What is the matter？〃 she asked。
〃You heard from him last week；〃 he said again； and again she
answered：
〃Yes … last week。 Why not？〃
He leaned forward； and before she knew what he intended to do he
kissed her pale； cool cheek。
Once more she stood still and immobile； her hands loosely clasped
before her。 It might have been that he had kissed a statue； and
her perfect stillness made him afraid。
〃Ella；〃 he said。 〃Ella。〃
〃Why did you do that？〃 she said； a little wildly now in her turn。
〃It was not that you were going to do to me before。〃
〃I love you；〃 he muttered excusingly。
She shook her head。
〃You know too little of me； you have too many doubt and fears；〃 she
said。 〃You do not love me； you do not even trust me。〃
〃I love you all the same；〃 he asserted positively and roughly。 〃I
loved you … it was when I tied your hands to the chair that night
and you looked at me with such contempt； and asked me if I felt
proud。 That stung； that stung。 I loved you then。〃
〃You see；〃 she said sadly； you do not even pretend to trust me。 I
don't know why you should。 Why are you here？ Why are you disguised
with all that growth of hair？ There is something you are preparing；
planning。 I know it。 I feel it。 What is it？〃
〃I told you once before；〃 he answered； 〃that the end of this will
be Deede Dawson's death or mine。 That's what I'm preparing。〃
〃He is very cunning； very clever；〃 she said。 〃Do you think he
suspects you？〃
〃He suspects every one always；〃 answered Dunn。 〃I've been trying
to get proof to act on。 I haven't succeeded。 Not yet。 Nothing
definite。 If I can't； I shall act without。 That's all。〃
〃If I told him even half of what you just said；〃 she said； looking
at him。 〃What would happen？〃
〃You see； I trust you；〃 he answered bitterly。
She shook her head； but her eyes were soft and tender as she said：
〃It wasn't trust in me made you say all that； it was because you
didn't care what happened after。〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃But when I see you； I forget everything。 Do you
love me？〃
〃Why； I've never even seen you yet；〃 she exclaimed with something
like a smile。 〃I only know you as two eyes over a tangle of hair
that I don't believe you ever either brush or comb。 Do you know；
sometimes I am curious。〃
He took her hand and drew her to sit beside him on the bench under
a tree near by。 All his doubts and fears and suspicions he set far
from him； and remembered nothing save that she was the woman for
whom yearned all the depths of his soul as by pre…ordained decree。
And she； too； forgot all else save that she had met her man … her
man； to her strange； aloof； mysterious； but dominating all her life
as though by primal necessity。
When they parted； it was with an agreement to meet again that
evening； and in the twilight they spent a halcyon hour together；
saying little； feeling much。
It was only when at last she had left him that he remembered all
that had passed； that had happened； that he knew； suspected； dreaded；
all that he planned and intended and would be soon called upon to put
into action。
〃She's made me mad；〃 he said to himself； and for a long time he sat
there in the darkness； in the stillness of the evening； motionless
as the tree in whose shade he sat； plunged in the most profound and
strange reverie； from which presently his quick ear； alert and keen
even when his mind was deep in thought； caught the light and careful
sound of an approaching footstep。
In a moment he was up and gliding through the darkness to meet who
was coming； and almost at once a voice hailed him cautiously。
〃There you are； Dunn；〃 Deede Dawson said。 〃I've been looking for
you everywhere。 Tomorrow or next day we shall be able to strike；
everything is ready at last； and I'll tell you now exactly what we
are going to do。〃
〃That's good news；〃 said Dunn softly。
〃Come this way；〃 Deede Dawson said； and led Dunn through the
darkness to the gate that admitted to the Bittermeads grounds from
the high road。
Here he paused； and stood for a long time in silence； leaning on
the gate and looking out across the road to the common beyond。
Close beside him stood Dunn； controlling his impatience as best he
could； and wondering if at last the secret springs of all these
happenings was to be laid bare to him。
But Deede Dawson seemed in no hurry to begin。 For a long time he
remained in the same attitude； silent and sombre in the darkness；
and when at last he spoke it was to utter a remark that quite took
Dunn by surprise。
〃What a lovely night；〃 he said in low and pensive tones； very unlike
those he generally used。 〃I remember when I was a boy … that's a
long time ago。〃
Dunn was too surprised by this sudden and very unexpected lapse into
sentiment to answer。 Deede Dawson went on as if thinking to himself：
〃A long time … I've done a lot … seen a lot since then … too much；
perhaps … I remember mother told me once … poor soul； I believe she
used to be rather proud of me … 〃
〃Your mother？〃 Dunn said wondering greatly to think this man should
still have such memories。
But Deede Dawson seemed either to resent his tone or else to be
angry with himself for giving way to such weakness。 In a voice more
like his usual one； he said harshly and sneeringly：
〃Oh； yes； I had a mother once； just like everybody else。 Why not？
Most people have their mothers； though it's not an arrangement I
should care to defend。 Now then； Ella was with you tonight； you
and she were alone together a long time。〃
〃Well；〃 growled Dunn； 〃what of it？