desperate remedies-第91章

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from　the　brackets　under　it；　and　deposited　it　on　the　floor　beside
him。

That　portion　of　the　wall　which　had　been　screened　by　the　cupboard　was
now　laid　bare。　　This；　it　appeared；　had　been　plastered　more　recently
than　the　bulk　of　the　outhouse。　　Manston　loosened　the　plaster　with
some　kind　of　tool；　flinging　the　pieces　into　a　basket　as　they　fell。
Having　now　stripped　clear　about　two　feet　area　of　wall；　he　inserted　a
crowbar　between　the　joints　of　the　bricks　beneath；　softly　wriggling
it　until　several　were　loosened。　　There　was　now　disclosed　the　mouth
of　an　old　oven；　which　was　apparently　contrived　in　the　thickness　of
the　wall；　and　having　fallen　into　disuse；　had　been　closed　up　with
bricks　in　this　manner。　　It　was　formed　after　the　simple　old…fashioned
plan　of　oven…buildinga　mere　oblate　cavity　without　a　flue。

Manston　now　stretched　his　arm　into　the　oven；　dragged　forth　a　heavy
weight　of　great　bulk；　and　let　it　slide　to　the　ground。　　The　woman　who
watched　him　could　see　the　object　plainly。　　It　was　a　common　corn…
sack；　nearly　full；　and　was　tied　at　the　mouth　in　the　usual　way。

The　steward　had　once　or　twice　started　up；　as　if　he　had　heard　sounds；
and　his　motions　now　became　more　cat…like　still。　　On　a　sudden　he　put
out　the　light。　　Anne　had　made　no　noise；　yet　a　foreign　noise　of　some
kind　had　certainly　been　made　in　the　intervening　portion　of　the
house。　　She　heard　it。　　'One　of　the　rats；'　she　thought。

He　seemed　soon　to　recover　from　his　alarm；　but　changed　his　tactics
completely。　　He　did　not　light　his　candlegoing　on　with　his　work　in
the　dark。　　She　had　only　sounds　to　go　by　now；　and；　judging　as　well　as
she　could　from　these；　he　was　piling　up　the　bricks　which　closed　the
oven's　mouth　as　they　had　been　before　he　disturbed　them。　　The　query
that　had　not　left　her　brain　all　the　interval　of　her　inspectionhow
should　she　get　back　into　her　bedroom　again？now　received　a
solution。　　Whilst　he　was　replacing　the　cupboard；　she　would　glide
across　the　brewhouse；　take　the　key　from　the　top　of　the　copper；　run
upstairs；　unlock　the　door；　and　bring　back　the　key　again：　　if　he
returned　to　bed；　which　was　unlikely；　he　would　think　the　lock　had
failed　to　catch　in　the　staple。　　This　thought　and　intention；
occupying　such　length　of　words；　flashed　upon　her　in　an　instant；　and
hardly　disturbed　her　strong　curiosity　to　stay　and　learn　the　meaning
of　his　actions　in　the　workshop。

Slipping　sideways　through　the　first　door　and　closing　it　behind　her；
she　advanced　into　the　darkness　towards　the　second；　making　every
individual　footfall　with　the　greatest　care；　lest　the　fragments　of
rubbish　on　the　floor　should　crackle　beneath　her　tread。　　She　soon
stood　close　by　the　copper；　and　not　more　than　a　foot　from　the　door　of
the　room　occupied　by　Manston　himself；　from　which　position　she　could
distinctly　hear　him　breathe　between　each　exertion；　although　it　was
far　too　dark　to　discern　anything　of　him。

To　secure　the　key　of　her　chamber　was　her　first　anxiety；　and
accordingly　she　cautiously　reached　out　with　her　hand　to　where　it
lay。　　Instead　of　touching　it；　her　fingers　came　in　contact　with　the
boot　of　a　human　being。

She　drooped　faint　in　a　cold　sweat。　　It　was　the　foot　either　of　a　man
or　woman；　standing　on　the　brewing…copper　where　the　key　had　lain。　　A
warm　foot；　covered　with　a　polished　boot。

The　startling　discovery　so　terrified　her　that　she　could　hardly
repress　a　sound。　　She　withdrew　her　hand　with　a　motion　like　the
flight　of　an　arrow。　　Her　touch　was　so　light　that　the　leather　seemed
to　have　been　thick　enough　to　keep　the　owner　of　the　foot　in　entire
ignorance　of　it；　and　the　noise　of　Manston's　scraping　might　have　been
quite　sufficient　to　drown　the　slight　rustle　of　her　dress。

The　person　was　obviously　not　the　steward：　　he　was　still　busy。　　It
was　somebody　who；　since　the　light　had　been　extinguished；　had　taken
advantage　of　the　gloom；　to　come　from　some　dark　recess　in　the
brewhouse　and　stand　upon　the　brickwork　of　the　copper。　　The　fear
which　had　at　first　paralyzed　her　lessened　with　the　birth　of　a　sense
that　fear　now　was　utter　failure：　　she　was　in　a　desperate　position
and　must　abide　by　the　consequences。　　The　motionless　person　on　the
copper　was；　equally　with　Manston；　quite　unconscious　of　her
proximity；　and　she　ventured　to　advance　her　hand　again；　feeling
behind　the　feet；　till　she　found　the　key。　　On　its　return　to　her　side；
her　finger…tip　skimmed　the　lower　verge　of　a　trousers…leg。

It　was　a　man；　then；　who　stood　there。　　To　go　to　the　door　just　at　this
time　was　impolitic；　and　she　shrank　back　into　an　inner　corner　to
wait。　　The　comparative　security　from　discovery　that　her　new　position
ensured　resuscitated　reason　a　little；　and　empowered　her　to　form　some
logical　inferences：

1。　　The　man　who　stood　on　the　copper　had　taken　advantage　of　the
darkness　to　get　there；　as　she　had　to　enter。

2。　　The　man　must　have　been　hidden　in　the　outhouse　before　she　had
reached　the　door。

3。　　He　must　be　watching　Manston　with　much　calculation　and　system；
and　for　purposes　of　his　own。

She　could　now　tell　by　the　noises　that　Manston　had　completed　his　re…
erection　of　the　cupboard。　　She　heard　him　replacing　the　articles　it
had　containedbottle　by　bottle；　tool　by　toolafter　which　he　came
into　the　brewhouse；　went　to　the　window；　and　pulled　down　the　cloths
covering　it；　but　the　window　being　rather　small；　this　unveiling
scarcely　relieved　the　darkness　of　the　interior。　　He　returned　to　the
workshop；　hoisted　something　to　his　back　by　a　jerk；　and　felt　about
the　room　for　some　other　article。　　Having　found　it；　he　emerged　from
the　inner　door；　crossed　the　brewhouse；　and　went　into　the　yard。
Directly　he　stepped　out　she　could　see　his　outline　by　the　light　of
the　clouded　and　weakly　moon。　　The　sack　was　slung　at　his　back；　and　in
his　hand　he　carried　a　spade。

Anne　now　waited　in　her　corner　in　breathless　suspense　for　the
proceedings　of　the　other　man。　　In　about　half…a…minute　she　heard　him
descend　from　the　copper；　and　then　the　square　opening　of　the　doorway
showed　the　outline　of　this　other　watcher　passing　through　it
likewise。　　The　form　was　that　of　a　broad…shouldered　man　enveloped　in
a　long　coat。　　He　vanished　after　the　steward。

The　woman　vented　a　sigh　of　relief；　and　moved　forward　to　follow。
Simultaneously；　she　discovered　that　the　watcher　whose　foot　she　had
touched　was；　in　his　turn；　watched　and　followed　also。

It　was　by　one　of　her　own　sex。　　Anne　Seaway　shrank　backward　again。
The　unknown　woman　came　forward　from　the　further　side　of　the　yard；
and　pondered　awhile　in　hesitation。　　Tall；　dark；　and　closely　wrapped；
she　stood　up　from　the　earth　like　a　cypress。　　She　moved；　crossed　the
yard　without　producing　the　slightest　disturbance　by　her　footsteps；
and　went　in　the　direction　the　others　had　taken。

Anne　waited　yet　another　minutethen　in　her　turn　noiselessly
followed　the　last　woman。

But　so　impressed　was　she　with　the　sensation　of　people　in　hiding；
that　in　coming　out　of　the　yard　she　turned　her　head　to　see　if　any
person　were　following　her；　in　the　same　way。　　Nobody　was　visible；　but
she　discerned；　standing　behind　the　angle　of　the　stable；　Manston's
horse　and　gig；　ready　harnessed。

He　did　intend　to　fly　after　all；　then；　she　thought。　　He　must　have
placed　the　horse　in　readiness；　in　the　interval　between　his　leaving
the　house　and　her　exit　by　the　window。　　However；　there　was　not　time
to　weigh　this　branch　of　the　night's　events。　　She　turned　about　again；
and　continued　on　the　trail　of　the　other　three。

6。　　FROM　MIDNIGHT　TO　HALF…PAST　ONE　A。M。

Intentness　pervaded　everything；　Night　herself　seemed　to　have　become
a　watcher。

The　four　persons　proceeded　across　the　glade；　and　into　the　park
plantation；　at　equi…distances　of　about　seventy　yards。　　Here　the
ground；　completely　overhung　by　the　foliage；　was　coated　with　a　thick
moss　which　was　as　soft　as　velvet　beneath　their　feet。　　The　first
watcher；　that　is；　the　man　walking　immediately　behind　Manston；　now
fell　back；　when　Manston's　housekeeper；　knowing　the　ground　pretty
well；　dived　circuitously　among　the　trees　and　got　directly　behind　the
steward；　who；　encumbered　with　his　load；　had　proceeded　but　slowly。
The　other　woman　seemed　now　to　be　about　opposite　to　Anne；　or　a　little
in　advance；　but　on　Manston's　other　hand。

He　reached　a　pit；　midway　between　the　waterfall　and　the　engine