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was harboring the thought of death； but she could not die in a strange
place so far from home。 Only that morning she had reached town。
After she had retired to the bedroom Jeff sat down in the chair she had
vacated。 He heard her moving about for a short time。 Presently came
silence。
It must have been an hour and a half later that Sam and Mrs。 Anderson
knocked gently on the door。
〃Cars stopped running。 Had to 'phone for a taxi；〃 Miller whispered。
The agitation of the mother was affecting。 Her fingers twitched with
nervousness。 Her eyes strayed twenty times in five minutes toward the
door behind which her daughter slept。 Every little while she would tip…toe
to it and listen breathlessly。 In whispers Jeff told them the story； answering
a hundred eager trembling questions。
Slowly the clock ticked out the seconds of the endless night。 Gray day
began to sift into the room。 Mrs。 Anderson's excursions to the bedroom
door grew more frequent。 Sometimes she opened it an inch or two。 On one
of these occasions she went in quickly and shut the door behind her。
〃Good enough。 They don't need us here； Sam。 We'll go out and have
some breakfast；〃 Jeff proposed。
On the street they met Billie Gray。 He greeted the editor with a
knowing grin。 〃Good morning； Mr。 Farnum。 How's everything？ Fine and
dandy； eh？〃
Jeff looked at him sharply。 〃What the mischief is he doing here？〃 he
asked Miller by way of comment。
All through breakfast that sinister little figure shadowed his thoughts。
Gray was like a stormy petrel。 He was surely there for no good； barring the
chance of its being an accident。 Both of them kept their eyes open on their
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way back； but they met nobody except a policeman swinging his club as
he leaned against a lamp post and
whistled the Merry Widow waltz。
But Farnum was not satisfied。 He cautioned both Sam and Mrs。
Anderson to say nothing； above all to give no names or explanation to
anybody。 A whisper of the truth would bring reporters down on them in
shoals。
〃You had better stay here quietly to…day；〃 their host advised。 〃I'll see
you're not disturbed by the help。 Sam will bring your meals in from a
restaurant。 I'd say stay here as long as you like； but it can't be done without
arousing curiosity； the one thing we don't want。〃
〃No； better leave late to…night in a taxi；〃 Sam proposed。
〃Better still； I'll bring around Captain Chunn's car and Sam can drive
you home。 We can't be too careful。〃
So it was arranged。 Mrs。 Anderson left it to them and went back into
the bedroom where her wounded lamb lay。
About midnight Jeff stopped a car in front of the stairway。 The two
veiled women emerged； accompanied by Sam。 They were helped into the
tonneau and Miller took the driver's seat。 Just as the machine began to
move a little man ran across the street toward them。
Jeff's forearm went up suddenly and caught him under the chin。 Billie
Gray's head went back and his heels came up。 Farnum was on him in an
instant； ostensibly to help him up； but really to see he did not get up too
quickly。 As soon as the automobile swung round the corner Jeff lifted him
to his feet。
〃Sorry。 Hope I didn't hurt you；〃 he smiled。
〃Smart trick； wasn't it？〃 snarled the detective。 〃Never mind； Mr。
Farnum。 We've got your goat right。〃
〃Again？〃 Jeff asked with pleasant impudence。
〃Got you dead to rights this trip。〃 Gray fired another shot as he turned
away。 〃And we'll find out yet who your lady friends are。 Don't you forget
it。〃
But Billie had overlooked a bet。 He had been in the back of the drug
store getting a drink when Sam and Mrs。 Anderson arrived。 The policeman
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on guard had not connected the coming of these with Jeff。 None of the
watchers knew that Jeff had not been alone with the girl all night。
PART 5
Sam called on Jeff two days later。
〃I want you to come round to…night at seven…fifteen。 We're going to be
married；〃 he explained。
The newspaper man's eye met his in a swift surprise。 〃You and
Nellie？〃
〃Yes。〃 Miller's jaw set。 〃Why not？ YOU'RE not going to spring that
damned cant about〃
〃I thought you knew me better；〃 his friend interrupted。
Miller's face worked。 〃I'll ask your pardon for that； Jeff。 You've been
the best friend she has。 Well； we've thrashed it all out。 She fought her
mother and me two days； didn't think it right to let me give my name to
her； even though she admits she has come to care for me。 You can see how
she would be torn two ways。 It's the only road out for her and the baby that
is on the way； but she couldn't bring herself to sacrifice me； as she calls it。
I've hammered and hammered at her that it's no sacrifice。 She can't see it；
just cries and cries。〃
〃Of course she would be unusually sensitive； Her nerves must be all
bare so that she shrinks as one does when a wound is touched。〃
〃That's it。 She keeps speaking of herself as if she were a lost soul。 At
last we fairly wore her out。 After we are married her mother and she will
take the eight o'clock for Kenton。 Nobody there knows them； and she'll
have a chance to forget。〃
〃You're a white man； Sam；〃 Jeff nodded lightly。 But his eyes were
shining。
〃I'm the man that loves her。 I couldn't do less； could I？〃
〃Some men would do a good deal less。〃
〃Not if they looked at it the way I do。 She's the same Nellie I've
always known。 What difference does it make to me that she stumbled in
the dark and hurt herselfexcept that my heart is so much more tender to
her it aches？〃
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〃If you hold to that belief she'll live to see the day when she is a happy
woman again；〃 the journalist prophesied。
〃I'm going to teach her to think of it all as only a bad nightmare she's
been through。〃 His jaw clinched again so that the muscles stood out on his
cheeks。 〃Do you know she won't say a wordnot even to her mother
about who the villain is that betrayed her？ I'd wring his coward neck off
for him；〃 he finish