He spoke with an extreme energy and bitterness that she did not in the least understand, and that quite took away from the words any suspicion of intentional rudeness.
"If I have all that, I suppose it's natural and not a disguise,"she remarked.
"My beard is natural too," he retorted.
"All the same, I wish you would cut it off," she answered."Ishould like to see what you look like."
She turned and walked away, and the more Dunn thought over this conversation, the less he felt he understood it.
What had she meant by that strange start and look she had given him when she had asked if she were to be the next? And when she asserted so confidently that she knew what was in the packing-case, was that true, or was she speaking under some mistaken impression, or had she wished to deceive him?
The more he thought, the more disturbed he felt, and every hour that passed he seemed to feel more and more strongly the influence of her gracious beauty, the horror of his suspicions of her.
The next day Clive came again, and again Ella seemed very pleased to see him, and again Dunn, hanging about in their vicinity, watched gloomily their friendly intercourse.
That Clive was in love with Ella seemed fairly certain; at any rate, he showed himself strongly attracted by her, and very eager for her company.
How she felt was more doubtful, though she made no concealment of the fact that she liked to see him, and found pleasure in having him there.Dunn, moving about near at hand, was aware of an odd impression that she knew he was watching them, and that she wished him to do so for several times he saw her glance in his direction.
He could always move with a most extraordinary lightness of foot, so that, big and clumsy as he seemed in build, he could easily go unheard and even unseen, and John Clive seemed to have little idea that he remained so persistently near at hand.
This gift or power of Dunn's he had acquired in far-off lands, where life may easily depend on the snapping of a twig or the right interpretation of a trampled grass-blade, and he was using it now, almost unconsciously, so as to make his presence near Ella and Clive as unobtrusive as possible, when his keen eye caught sight of a bush, of which leaves and branches were moving against the wind.
For that he knew there could be but one explanation, and when he walked round, so as to get behind this bush, he was not surprised to see Deede Dawson crouching there, his eyes very intent and eager, his unsmiling lips drawn back to show his white teeth in a threatening grin or snarl.
Near by him was his little chess-board and men, and as Dunn came up behind he looked round quickly and saw him.
For a moment his eyes were deadly and his hand dropped to his hip-pocket, where Dunn had reason to believe he carried a formidable little automatic pistol.
But almost at once his expression changed, and with a gesture he invited Dunn to crouch down at his side.For a little they remained like this, and then Deede Dawson moved cautiously away, signing to Dunn to follow him.
When they were at a safe distance he turned to Dunn and said "Is he serious, do you think, or is he playing with her? I'll make him pay for it if he is.""How should I know?" answered Dunn, quite certain it was no such anxiety as this that had set Deede Dawson watching them so carefully.
Deede Dawson seemed to feel that the explanation he had offered was a little crude, and he made no attempt to enlarge on it.
With a complete change of manner, with his old smile on his lips and his eyes as dark and unsmiling as ever, he said "Pretty girl, Ella - isn't she?""She is more than pretty, she is beautiful," Dunn answered with an emphasis that made Deede Dawson look at him sharply.
"Think so?" he said, and gave his peculiar laugh that had so little mirth in it."Well, you're right, she is.He'll be a lucky man that gets her - and she's to be had, you know.But I'll tell you one thing, it won't be John Clive.""I thought it rather looked," observed Dunn, "as if Miss Cayley might mean - "Deede Dawson interrupted with a quick jerk of his head.
"Never mind what she means, it'll be what I mean," he declared."Iam boss; and what's more, she knows it.I believe in a man being master in his own family.Don't you?'
"If he can be," retorted Dunn."But still, a girl naturally - ""Naturally nothing," Deede Dawson interrupted again."I tell you what I want for her, a man I can-trust-trust-that's the great thing.
Some one I can trust."
He nodded at Dunn as he said this and then walked off, and Dunn felt very puzzled as he, too, turned away.
"Was he offering her to me?" he asked himself."It almost sounded like it.If so, it must mean there's something he wants from me pretty bad.She's beautiful enough to turn any man's head - but did she know about poor Charlie's murder? - help in it, perhaps?
- as she said she did with the packing-case."He paused, and all his body was shaken by strong and fierce emotion.
"God help me," he groaned."I believe I would marry her tomorrow if I could, innocent or guilty."
