"I suppose you're right, but I feel as nervous as a cat."
His companion, who had driven the carriage, and who had taken Dolly's
purse, handkerchief, and a letter from her pocket, and was scrutinising
them carefully, uttered an exclamation of disgust and annoyance. The
house being empty and untenanted, the wind, which had now increased to
almost a hurricane, howled and sighed dismally.
"If anyone should find the brougham outside it would strike them as
strange, wouldn't it?" suggested Mansell.
"Never fear; we're perfectly safe. It's a by-road, and not a soul comes
this way. Besides, whom do you expect would walk about this lonely part
at such an hour?"
Mansell crossed to where the girl lay, and, taking up the candle, gazed
into her face.
"It's a pity to sacrifice her life," he remarked sympathetically. "She
has done us no harm."
"Fool!" replied the other, with an impatient gesture, looking at him
with threatening eyes. "Can't you see that if she lives she can
frustrate all our plans? Even now I believe she knows our secret."
"She does?" gasped the other breathlessly.
"Yes."
"But are there no other means of silencing her?"
"No. She must die!"
The man, whose sinister face wore a heavy, determined expression, had
drawn a long-bladed knife from its sheath, and it flashed in the light
as he held it in his hand. Mansell noticed it, and shuddered.
"I cannot stay and see her murdered," he cried in horror.
"Very well; if you're so chicken-hearted, wait outside," the other
replied roughly.
He saw it was useless to intercede for the life of the girl whose beauty
he had admired, so obeyed the injunction. Pale and agitated, he waited
upon the landing in the darkness.
The seconds seemed hours, but presently his companion emerged from the
room carrying the candle, which, however had been blown out. As he
struck a match, Mansell saw blood upon his hand.
Neither spoke, but both quietly descended the stairs. Then they again
blew out the candle and left the house, locking the door after them.
A short distance away the brougham was standing without any one to look
after it, the horse grazing quietly at the roadside.
Mansell entered, while his companion mounted the box, driving along the
private road, and turning into the highway towards Twickenham.