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〃What do you mean？ Come here； where I can see you。 What's the matter with you； Larry？〃
With a sudden lurch and dive； his brother left the shelter of the shadow； and sank into a chair in the circle of light。 And another long； broken sigh escaped him。
〃There's nothing the matter with me； Keith！ It's true！〃
Keith stepped quickly forward； and stared down into his brother's face； and instantly he saw that it was true。 No one could have simulated the look in those eyesof horrified wonder； as if they would never again get on terms with the face to which they belonged。 To see them squeezed the heart…only real misery could look like that。 Then that sudden pity became angry bewilderment。
〃What in God's name is this nonsense？〃
But it was significant that he lowered his voice； went over to the door； too； to see if it were shut。 Laurence had drawn his chair forward； huddling over the firea thin figure； a worn； high… cheekboned face with deep…sunk blue eyes； and wavy hair all ruffled； a face that still had a certain beauty。 Putting a hand on that lean shoulder； Keith said：
〃Come； Larry！ Pull yourself together； and drop exaggeration。〃
〃It's true； I tell you； I've killed a man。〃
The noisy violence of that outburst acted like a douche。 What was the fellow aboutshouting out such words！ But suddenly Laurence lifted his hands and wrung them。 The gesture was so utterly painful that it drew a quiver from Keith's face。
〃Why did you come here；〃 he said； 〃and tell me this？〃
Larry's face was really unearthly sometimes； such strange gleams passed up on to it！
〃Whom else should I tell？ I came to know what I'm to do； Keith？ Give myself up； or what？〃
At that sudden introduction of the practical Keith felt his heart twitch。 Was it then as real as all that？ But he said； very quietly：
〃Just tell me …How did it come about； thisaffair？〃
That question linked the dark； gruesome； fantastic nightmare on to actuality。
〃When did it happen？〃
〃Last night。〃
In Larry's face there wasthere had always beensomething childishly truthful。 He would never stand a chance in court！ And Keith said：
〃How？ Where？ You'd better tell me quietly from the beginning。 Drink this coffee； it'll clear your head。〃
Laurence took the little blue cup and drained it。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃It's like this； Keith。 There's a girl I've known for some months now〃
Women！ And Keith said between his teeth： 〃Well？〃
〃Her father was a Pole who died over here when she was sixteen； and left her all alone。 A man called Walenn； a mongrel American； living in the same house； married her； or pretended toshe's very pretty； Keithhe left her with a baby six months old； and another coming。 That one died； and she did nearly。 Then she starved till another fellow took her on。 She lived with him two years； then Walenn turned up again； and made her go back to him。 The brute used to beat her black and blue； all for nothing。 Then he left her again。 When I met her she'd lost her elder child； too； and was taking anybody who came along。〃
He suddenly looked up into Keith's face。
〃But I've never met a sweeter woman； nor ；a truer； that I swear。 Woman！ She's only twenty now！ When I went to her last night； that brutethat Walennhad found her out again； and when he came for me； swaggering and bullyingLook！〃he touched a dark mark on his forehead〃I took his throat in my hands； and when I let go〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Dead。 I never knew till afterwards that she was hanging on to him behind。〃
Again he made that gesture…wringing his hands。
In a hard voice Keith said：
〃What did you do then？〃
〃We sat by it a long time。 Then I carried it on my back down the street； round a corner to an archway。〃
〃How far？〃
〃About fifty yards。〃
〃Was anyonedid anyone see？〃
〃No。〃
〃What time？〃
〃Three。〃
〃And then？〃
〃Went back to her。〃
〃Whyin Heaven's name？〃
〃She was lonely and afraid； so was I； Keith。〃
〃Where is this place？〃
〃Forty…two； Borrow Street； Soho。〃
〃And the archway？〃
〃Corner of Glove Lane。〃
〃Good God！ WhyI saw it in the paper！〃
And seizing the journal that lay on his bureau； Keith read again that paragraph： 〃The body of a man was found this morning under an archway in Glove Lane； Soho。 From marks about the throat grave suspicions of foul play are entertained。 The body had apparently been robbed； and nothing was discovered leading to identification。〃
It was real earnest； then。 Murder！ His own brother！ He faced round and said：
〃You saw this in the paper； and dreamed it。 Understandyou dreamed it！〃
The wistful answer came：
〃If only I had； Keithif only I had！〃
In his turn； Keith very nearly wrung his hands。
〃Did you take anything from thebody？〃
〃This dropped while we were struggling。〃；
It was an empty envelope with a South American post…mark addressed： 〃Patrick Walenn； Simon's Hotel； Farrier Street； London。〃 Again with that twitching in his heart； Keith said：
〃Put it in the fire。〃
Then suddenly he stooped to pluck it out。 By that commandhe had identified himself with thisthis But he did not pluck it out。 It blackened； writhed； and vanished。 And once more he said：
〃What in God's name made you come here and tell me？〃
〃You know about these things。 I didn't mean to kill him。 I love the girl。 What shall I do； Keith？
〃Simple！ How simple！ To ask what he was to do！ It was like Larry！ And he said：
〃You were not seen； you think？〃 〃It's a dark street。 There was no one about。〃
〃When did you leave this girl the second time？〃
〃About seven o'clock。〃
〃Where did you go？〃
〃To my rooms。〃
〃In Fitzroy Street？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did anyone see you come in？〃
〃No。〃
〃What have you done since？〃
〃Sat there。〃
〃Not been out？〃
〃No。〃
〃Not seen the girl？〃
〃No。〃
〃You don't know； then； what she's done since？〃
〃No。〃
〃Would she give you away？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Would she give herself awayhysteria？〃
〃No。〃
〃Who knows of your relations with her？〃
〃No one。〃
〃No one？〃
〃I don't know who should； Keith。〃
〃Did anyone see you going in last night； when you first went to her？〃
〃No。 She lives on the ground floor。 I've got keys。〃
〃Give them to me。 What else have you that connects you with her？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃In your rooms？〃
〃No。〃
〃No photographs。 No letters？〃
〃No。〃
〃Be careful。〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃No one saw you going back to her the second time？〃
〃No。〃
〃No one saw you leave her in the morning？〃
〃No。〃
〃You were fortunate。 Sit down again； man。 I must think。〃
Think！ Think out this accursed thingso beyond all thought； and all belief。 But he could not think。 Not a coherent thought would come。 And he began again：
〃Was it his first reappearance with her？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃She told you so？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How did he find out where she was？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃How drunk were you？〃
〃I was not drunk。〃
〃How much had you drunk？〃
〃About two bottles of claretnothing。〃
〃You say you didn't mean to kill him？〃
〃No…God knows！〃
〃That's something。
What made you choose the arch？〃
〃It was the first dark place。〃
〃Did his face look as if he had been strangled？〃
〃Don't！〃
〃Did it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Ver