Hugh Ritson walked to the bare room opposite. The handle of the door did
not turn in his hand. Drayton held it at the other side, and with head
bent low he crouched there and listened.
"Who is it?" he whispered, when Hugh Ritson unlocked the door and pushed
at it.
"Let me in," said Hugh, sullenly.
"Does he suspect?" whispered Drayton, when the door closed again. "Did
he follow me? What are you going to do for a fellow? Damme, but I'll be
enough for him!"
And Drayton groped in the dark room among the dead cinders on the
hearth, and picked up the poker.
"You fool!" said Hugh, in a low voice. "Put that thing down."
"Isn't he after me? D'ye think I'm going to be taken? Let him come here
and see!"
Drayton tramped the room, and the floor creaked beneath his heavy tread.
"Speak lower, you poltroon!" Hugh whispered, huskily. "He knows nothing
about you. He has never heard of you. Be quiet. Do you hear?"
There was a light, nervous knock at the door.
"Who's there?" said Hugh.
"It's only me, sir," said Mrs. Drayton, from without, breathing audibly,
and speaking faintly amid gusts of breath.
Hugh Ritson opened the door, and the landlady entered.
"Lor's a mercy me! whatever ails the gentleman? Oh, is it yourself in
the dark, Paul? I'm that fearsome, I declare I shiver and quake at
nothing. And the gentleman so like you, too! I never did see nothing
like it, I'm sure!"
"Hush! Stop your clatter. What does he say?" said Hugh.
"The gentleman? He says and says and says as nothing and nothing and
nothing will make him leave the lady this night."
"He'll think better of that."
"And wherever can I put them? And me on'y one room, forby Paul's. And no
cleaning and airing, and nothing. That's what worrits me."
"Hold your tongue! Put the lady in your son's room. Your son won't need
it to-night."
"That's where I did put her."
"Very well; leave her there."
"And the gentleman, too, belike?"
"The gentleman will go back with me. Come, get away!"
"Quite right; on'y there's no airing and cleaning; and I declare I'm
that fearsome--"
Hugh Ritson had taken the landlady by the shoulders and was pushing her
out of the room.
"One moment," he whispered, and drew her back. "Anything doing
upstairs?"
"Upstairs?--the bed--airing--"
"The girl? Has she made any noise yet? Is she conscious?"
"Not as I know of. I went up and listened, and never a sound. Deary me,
deary me! I'm that fearsome--"
"Go up again, and put your ear to the door."
"I'm afeart she'll never come round, and her in that way, and weak, too,
and--"
At that instant there came from the dark road the sound of
carriage-wheels approaching. Hugh Ritson thrust the landlady out of the
room, slammed the door to, and locked it.
"What's that?" said Drayton, in a husky whisper. "Who do they want?
You've not rounded on a fellow, eh?"
"It's the carriage that is to take you and the lady to Kentish Town,"
said Hugh. "Hush! Listen!"
The driver rapped at the door with the end of his whip, and shouted from
his seat: "Heigho, heigho--ready for Kentish Town? Eleven o'clock struck
this half hour!" Then he could be heard beating his crossed arms under
his armpits to warm his hands.
"The fool!" muttered Hugh, "can't he keep his tongue in his mouth?"
"Quite right," shouted Mrs. Drayton, in a shrill voice, putting her face
to the window-pane. "Belike it's for the gentleman," she explained to
herself, and then, with candle in hand, she began to mount the stairs.
The door of the room to the left opened, and Paul Ritson came out. His
great strength seemed to be gone--he reeled like a drunken man.
"Landlady," he said, "when does your last train go up to London?"
"At half past twelve," said Mrs. Drayton, from two steps up the stairs.
"Can I get a fly, my good woman, at this hour of the night?"
"The fly's at the door, sir--just come, sir."
Paul went back into the room where he had left his wife.
The two men in the dark room opposite listened intently.
"Be quiet," whispered Hugh Ritson. "I knew he must think better of it.
He is going. Keep still. Five minutes more, and you start away with the
lady for Kentish Town. He shall walk to the station with me. The instant
we leave the house, you go to the lady and say, 'I have changed my mind,
Greta. We must go together. Come.' Not a word more; hurry her into the
fly, and away."
"Easier said nor done, say I."