As the latter passed
Strangwise he whispered a word in her ear.
"No, no," answered the other, "I prefer my own way," and she
showed him something concealed in her hand.
The two women quitted the room together, leaving Strangwise and
Barbara alone with the thing on the floor. Strangwise picked up a
military great-coat which was hanging over the back of a chair
and put it on, buttoning it all the way up the front and turning
up the collar about the neck. Then he crammed a cap on his head
and stood listening intently.
A high, gurgling scream, abruptly checked, came through the open
door at the farther end of the room.
Barbara sprang up from the chair into which she had sunk.
"What was that" she asked, whispering.
Strangwise did not reply. He was still listening, a tall, well
set-up figure in the long khaki great-coat.
"But those two women are alone in the cellar," exclaimed Barbara,
"they are being murdered! Ah! what was that?"
A gentle thud resounded from below.
A man came in through the door leading from the bar:
He had a fat, smooth-shaven face, heavily jowled.
"All ready, Bellward?" asked Strangwise carelessly.
Barbara stared at the man thus addressed. She saw that he was
wearing the same clothes as the man who had come down into the
cellar with Strangwise but the beard was gone.
Pages:
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308