IN FLAGRANTE DELICTO
A low cry greeted me. The room was light. I saw Sally Langdon sitting on
her bed in her dressing gown. Shaking my gun at her with a fierce
warning gesture to be silent, I turned to close the door. It was a heavy
door, without bolt or bar, and when I had shut it I felt safe only for
the moment. Then I gazed around the room. There was one window with
blind closely drawn. I listened and seemed to hear footsteps retreating,
dying away. Then I turned to Sally. She had slipped off the bed to her
knees and was holding out trembling hands as if both to supplicate mercy
and to ward me off. She was as white as the pillow on her bed. She was
terribly frightened. Again with warning hand commanding silence I
stepped softly forward, meaning to reassure her.
"Russ! Russ!" she whispered wildly, and I thought she was going to
faint. When I got close and looked into her eyes I understood the
strange dark expression in them. She was terrified because she believed
I meant to kill her, or do worse, probably worse. She had believed many
a hard story about me and had cared for me in spite of them. I
remembered, then, that she had broken her promise, she had tempted me,
led me to kiss her, made a fool out of me. I remembered, also how I had
threatened her. This intrusion of mine was the wild cowboy's vengeance.
I verily believed she thought I was drunk. I must have looked pretty
hard and fierce, bursting into her room with that big gun in hand. My
first action then was to lay the gun on her bureau.
"You poor kid!" I whispered, taking her hands and trying to raise her.
But she stayed on her knees and clung to me.
"Russ! It was vile of me," she whispered. "I know it. I deserve
anything--anything! But I am only a kid. Russ, I didn't break my
word--I didn't make you kiss me just for, vanity's sake. I swear I
didn't. I wanted you to. For I care, Russ, I can't help it. Please
forgive me. Please let me off this time. Don't--don't--"
"Will you shut up!" I interrupted, half beside myself. And I used force
in another way than speech. I shook her and sat her on the bed. "You
little fool, I didn't come in here to kill you or do some other awful
thing, as you think. For God's sake, Sally, what do you take me for?"
"Russ, you swore you'd do something terrible if I tempted you anymore,"
she faltered. The way she searched my face with doubtful, fearful eyes
hurt me.
"Listen," and with the word I seemed to be pervaded by peace. "I didn't
know this was your room. I came in here to get away--to save my life. I
was pursued. I was spying on Sampson and his men. They heard me, but did
not see me. They don't know who was listening. They're after me now. I'm
Special United States Deputy Marshal Sittell--Russell Archibald Sittell.
I'm a Ranger. I'm here as secret aid to Steele."
Sally's eyes changed from blank gulfs to dilating, shadowing, quickening
windows of thought. "Russ-ell Archi-bald Sittell," she echoed. "Ranger!
Secret aid to Steele!"
"Yes."
"Then you're no cowboy?"
"No."
"Only a make-believe one?"
"Yes."
"And the drinking, the gambling, the association with those low
men--that was all put on?"
"Part of the game, Sally. I'm not a drinking man. And I sure hate those
places I had to go in, and all that pertains to them."
"Oh, so _that's_ it! I knew there was something. How glad--how glad I
am!" Then Sally threw her arms around my neck, and without reserve or
restraint began to kiss me and love me. It must have been a moment of
sheer gladness to feel that I was not disreputable, a moment when
something deep and womanly in her was vindicated. Assuredly she was
entirely different from what she had ever been before.
There was a little space of time, a sweet confusion of senses, when I
could not but meet her half-way in tenderness. Quite as suddenly, then
she began to cry. I whispered in her ear, cautioning her to be careful,
that my life was at stake; and after that she cried silently, with one
of her arms round my neck, her head on my breast, and her hand clasping
mine. So I held her for what seemed a long time. Indistinct voices came
to me and footsteps seemingly a long way off. I heard the wind in the
rose-bush outside. Some one walked down the stony court. Then a shrill
neigh of a horse pierced the silence. A rider was mounting out there for
some reason. With my life at stake I grasped all the sweetness of that
situation. Sally stirred in my arms, raised a red, tear-stained yet
happy face, and tried to smile. "It isn't any time to cry," she
whispered. "But I had to. You can't understand what it made me feel to
learn you're no drunkard, no desperado, but a _man_--a man like that
Ranger!" Very sweetly and seriously she kissed me again. "Russ, if I
didn't honestly and truly love you before, I do now."
Then she stood up and faced me with the fire and intelligence of a
woman in her eyes. "Tell me now. You were spying on my uncle?"
Briefly I told her what had happened before I entered her room, not
omitting a terse word as to the character of the men I had watched.
"My God! So it's Uncle Roger! I knew something was very wrong here--with
him, with the place, the people. And right off I hated George Wright.
Russ, does Diane know?"
"She knows something. I haven't any idea how much."
"This explains her appeal to Steele. Oh, it'll kill her! You don't know
how proud, how good Diane is. Oh, it'll kill her!"
"Sally, she's no baby. She's got sand, that girl--"
The sound of soft steps somewhere near distracted my attention, reminded
me of my peril, and now, what counted more with me, made clear the
probability of being discovered in Sally's room. "I'll have to get out
of here," I whispered.
"Wait," she replied, detaining me. "Didn't you say they were hunting for
you?"
"They sure are," I returned grimly.
"Oh! Then you mustn't go. They might shoot you before you got away.
Stay. If we hear them you can hide under my bed. I'll turn out the
light. I'll meet them at the door. You can trust me. Stay, Russ. Wait
till all quiets down, if we have to wait till morning. Then you can slip
out."
"Sally, I oughtn't to stay. I don't want to--I won't," I replied
perplexed and stubborn.
"But you must. It's the only safe way. They won't come here."
"Suppose they should? It's an even chance Sampson'll search every room
and corner in this old house. If they found me here I couldn't start a
fight. You might be hurt. Then--the fact of my being here--" I did not
finish what I meant, but instead made a step toward the door.
Sally was on me like a little whirlwind, white of face and dark of eye,
with a resoluteness I could not have deemed her capable of. She was as
strong and supple as a panther, too. But she need not have been either
resolute or strong, for the clasp of her arms, the feel of her warm
breast as she pressed me back were enough to make me weak as water. My
knees buckled as I touched the chair, and I was glad to sit down. My
face was wet with perspiration and a kind of cold ripple shot over me. I
imagined I was losing my nerve then. Proof beyond doubt that Sally loved
me was so sweet, so overwhelming a thing, that I could not resist, even
to save her disgrace.
"Russ, the fact of your being here is the very thing to save you--if
they come," Sally whispered softly. "What do I care what they think?"
She put her arms round my neck. I gave up then and held her as if she
indeed were my only hope. A noise, a stealthy sound, a step, froze that
embrace into stone.
"Up yet, Sally?" came Sampson's clear voice, too strained, too eager to
be natural.
"No. I'm in bed, reading. Good night, Uncle," instantly replied Sally,
so calmly and naturally that I marveled at the difference between man
and woman. Perhaps that was the difference between love and hate.
"Are you alone?" went on Sampson's penetrating voice, colder now.
"Yes," replied Sally.
The door swung inward with a swift scrape and jar. Sampson half entered,
haggard, flaming-eyed. His leveled gun did not have to move an inch to
cover me. Behind him I saw Wright and indistinctly, another man.
"Well!" gasped Sampson. He showed amazement. "Hands up, Russ!"
I put up my hands quickly, but all the time I was calculating what chance
I had to leap for my gun or dash out the light. I was trapped. And fury,
like the hot teeth of a wolf, bit into me. That leveled gun, the menace
in Sampson's puzzled eyes, Wright's dark and hateful face, these loosened
the spirit of fight in me. If Sally had not been there I would have made
some desperate move.
Sampson barred Wright from entering, which action showed control as
well as distrust.
"You lied!" said Sampson to Sally. He was hard as flint, yet doubtful
and curious, too.
"Certainly I lied," snapped Sally in reply. She was cool, almost
flippant. I awakened to the knowledge that she was to be reckoned with
in this situation. Suddenly she stepped squarely between Sampson and me.
"Move aside," ordered Sampson sternly.
"I won't! What do I care for your old gun? You shan't shoot Russ or do
anything else to him. It's my fault he's here in my room. I coaxed him
to come."
"You little hussy!" exclaimed Sampson, and he lowered the gun.
If I ever before had occasion to glory in Sally I had it then. She
betrayed not the slightest fear. She looked as if she could fight like a
little tigress. She was white, composed, defiant.
"How long has Russ been in here?" demanded Sampson.
"All evening. I left Diane at eight o'clock. Russ came right after
that."
"But you'd undressed for bed!" ejaculated the angry and perplexed uncle.
"Yes." That simple answer was so noncommittal, so above subterfuge, so
innocent, and yet so confounding in its provocation of thought that
Sampson just stared his astonishment. But I started as if I had been
struck.
"See here Sampson--" I began, passionately.
Like a flash Sally whirled into my arms and one hand crossed my lips.
"It's my fault. I will take the blame," she cried, and now the agony of
fear in her voice quieted me. I realized I would be wise to be silent.
"Uncle," began Sally, turning her head, yet still clinging to me, "I've
tormented Russ into loving me. I've flirted with him--teased
him--tempted him. We love each other now. We're engaged. Please--please
don't--" She began to falter and I felt her weight sag a little against
me.
"Well, let go of him," said Sampson. "I won't hurt him. Sally, how long
has this affair been going on?"
"For weeks--I don't know how long."
"Does Diane know?"
"She knows we love each other, but not that we met--did this--" Light
swift steps, the rustle of silk interrupted Sampson, and made my heart
sink like lead.
"Is that you, George?" came Miss Sampson's deep voice, nervous, hurried.
"What's all this commotion? I hear--"
"Diane, go on back," ordered Sampson.
Just then Miss Sampson's beautiful agitated face appeared beside Wright.
He failed to prevent her from seeing all of us.
"Papa! Sally!" she exclaimed, in consternation. Then she swept into the
room. "What has happened?"
Sampson, like the devil he was, laughed when it was too late. He had
good impulses, but they never interfered with his sardonic humor. He
paced the little room, shrugging his shoulders, offering no explanation.
Sally appeared about ready to collapse and I could not have told Sally's
lie to Miss Sampson to save my life.
"Diane, your father and I broke in on a little Romeo and Juliet scene,"
said George Wright with a leer. Then Miss Sampson's dark gaze swept from
George to her father, then to Sally's attire and her shamed face, and
finally to me. What effect the magnificent wrath and outraged trust in
her eyes had upon me!
"Russ, do they dare insinuate you came to Sally's room?" For myself I
could keep silent, but for Sally I began to feel a hot clamoring
outburst swelling in my throat.
"Sally confessed it, Diane," replied Wright.
"Sally!" A shrinking, shuddering disbelief filled Miss Sampson's voice.
"Diane, I told you I loved him--didn't I?" replied Sally. She managed to
hold up her head with a ghost of her former defiant spirit.
"Miss Sampson, it's a--" I burst out.
Then Sally fainted. It was I who caught her. Miss Sampson hurried to her
side with a little cry of distress.
"Russ, your hand's called," said Sampson. "Of course you'll swear the
moon's green cheese. And I like you the better for it. But we know now,
and you can save your breath. If Sally hadn't stuck up so gamely for you
I'd have shot you. But at that I wasn't looking for you. Now clear out
of here." I picked up my gun from the bureau and dropped it in its
sheath. For the life of me I could not leave without another look at
Miss Sampson. The scorn in her eyes did not wholly hide the sadness. She
who needed friends was experiencing the bitterness of misplaced trust.
That came out in the scorn, but the sadness--I knew what hurt her most
was her sorrow.
I dropped my head and stalked out.