A QUESTION
Winifred came slowly into the room. It seemed to Deane, watching her
curiously, that she had been steeling herself to defiance. There was no
change in her expression, and her lips seemed tighter drawn than ever.
She went at once to her brother's side.
"You have been talking too much, Basil," she said. "You know that it is
not good for you."
He leaned across to the little table which stood by his side and helped
himself to brandy. He was indeed looking terribly ill. The lines under
his eyes seemed traced with a coal-black pencil, and his hand shook so
that half the brandy was spilled.
"Winifred," he said, "I must ask you a question. You remember that I
spoke to you of a document--Sinclair had it. I was trying to deal with
him, trying to get it back for Mr. Deane here."
"Yes," she answered calmly, "I remember your speaking of it."
"We have reason to believe," he continued, gasping a little,--"reason to
believe that it has been stolen. Mr. Deane wants to know whether at any
time you have mentioned its existence to anyone."
She looked at Deane and back at her brother. Her face was unchanged.
"No!" she said. "I have mentioned it to no one."
"You see," her brother continued, "it's like this. No one but I knew of
that paper. Deane here told me, and I told no one except you. And yet we
have evidence, we know that it has been stolen from Sinclair's room
since his death. That is why we want you to be quite sure that you did
not mention its existence to anyone."
"No mention of it has crossed my lips," she answered. "I have no
friends, no confidants. I have spoken to no one about it. Nothing in the
world," she continued, "would be more improbable than that I should have
done so."
He turned to Deane, who stood by with impassive face. "You hear?" he
exclaimed. "You hear? I was quite sure about Winifred. She doesn't go
talking about. She's no gossip, are you, Winifred?"
"I hope not," she answered.
"I have no reason, I am sure," Deane said slowly, "to doubt Miss Rowan's
discretion."
She raised her eyes for a moment, and met his. The faint satire in his
tone was intentionally provocative, but it failed to move her. Her
regard of him was entirely impersonal. He looked away with a light shrug
of the shoulders.
"Well, Rowan," he said, "it seems there is nothing further to be done.
If the paper does turn up," he added, "I shall know how to deal with its
holder. In the meantime, about yourself."
Rowan laughed a little hysterically. "About myself," he repeated.
"That's a fruitful subject, isn't it?"
"Doctors make mistakes sometimes," Deane said. "Let us hope that they
may have made one in your case. Anyhow, there is no reason why you
should not be comfortable, and have the best medical advice. Go wherever
you think best, and send me your address. I shall not forget that your
accident took place when you were engaged upon my affairs."
"You are very good, Deane," Rowan said.
The girl looked up. "Mr. Deane's kindness is quite unnecessary," she
said. "We are in no want of money."
"Your sister does not quite understand," Deane said, turning to him. "We
have been through too many rough times in Africa together to stand upon
ceremony now. You will perhaps be able to explain to her later on."
He took up his hat and turned toward the door. "I shall expect to hear
from you," he said, "as soon as you have decided where to go,--either
from you, Rowan," he added, shaking hands with him, "or from your
sister."
"You are very kind, Deane," Rowan said. "I am sorry I have made such a
mess of things."
"It was not your fault," Deane answered. "Good-day, Miss Rowan!"
She looked at him for a moment, but she did not offer to take his
outstretched hand. He smiled, and withdrew it at once.
"Good-day, Mr. Deane!" she said.
The door closed behind him. Rowan was watching his sister anxiously.
"Winifred," he said, "what is the matter with you? You were scarcely
civil to Mr. Deane."
"Oh! I think I was," she answered. "In any case, we don't want to take
alms from him, do we?"
"It isn't exactly that," Rowan objected.
"It is."
"He can afford it," Rowan declared. "He is very rich. A thousand pounds
to him is like sixpence to us."
"It doesn't alter facts," she rejoined. "I do not like Mr. Deane, Basil.
It is through him that this trouble has come upon us. You have taken
enough of his money."
"And when I am gone?" he asked. "What about you then?"
"Have I ever failed to make my own way?" she asked quietly. "I shall be
safe enough, Basil."
He commenced to cough, and very soon further speech was impossible. He
was painfully exhausted. She sat by his side until he went off to sleep.
Of his hopeless state there could no longer be any doubt. He was wasted
almost to a shadow. Even in sleep his breath came heavily, and a fever
seemed upon him. She stole softly from his side, and stood for a few
minutes at the window, looking out. Below, the pulse of the great world
was beating with the same maddening regularity. The stream of wayfarers
swept on, the roar of traffic was as inevitable as the waves of the sea.
She stood by the window with small, clenched hands. Behind her, his loud
breathing seemed to beat out the time toward Death.
* * * * *
Deane himself was one of those wayfarers, but at least his thoughts, as
he was being whirled eastward in his brougham, were fixed upon the
tragedy which he had left behind him. He knew very well that it was not
a question of months but of days with Basil Rowan. Was it only for that
that the girl was waiting? Her whole attitude towards him had about it a
certain flavor of mystery which oppressed him. It was like trying to
face an enemy hidden in a darkened room, listening for his footstep, not
knowing whence the blow might fall. Notwithstanding the warm sunshine,
he shivered a little as he descended from the carriage and entered his
offices.