THE SOUND OF A SHOT
He melted away into the darkness as he spoke, and through the night he slipped, one shadow more amongst many, from tree to bush, from bush to tree.Across a patch of open grass he crawled on his hands and knees; and once lay fiat on his face when against the skyline he saw a figure he was sure was Deede Dawson's creep by a yard or two on his right hand.
On his left another shadow showed, distinguishable in the night only because it moved.
In a moment both shadows were gone, secret and deadly in the dark, and Dunn was very sure that Clive's life and his own both hung upon a slender chance, for if either of them was discovered the leaping bullet would do the rest.
It would be safe and easy - suspected burglars in a garden at midnight - nothing could be said.He lay very still with his face to the dewy sod, and all the night seemed full to him of searching footsteps and of a swift and murderous going to and fro.
He heard distinctly from the road a sudden, muffled sound as Clive in the darkness blunderingly missed his footing and fell upon one knee.
"That's finished him," Dunn thought grimly, his ears straining for the sharp pistol report that would tell Clive's tale was done, and then he was aware of a cat, a favourite of Ella's and often petted by himself, that was crouching near by under a tree, most likely much puzzled and alarmed by this sudden irruption of hurrying men into its domain.Instantly Dunn saw his chance, and seizing the animal, lifted it and threw it in the direction where he guessed Deede Dawson to be.
His guess was good and fortune served him well, for the tabby flying caterwauling through the air alighted almost exactly in front of Deede Dawson on top of a small bush.For a moment it hung there, quite unhurt, but very frightened, and emitted a yell, then fled.
In the quietness the tumult of its scrambling flight sounded astonishingly loud, so that it sounded as through a miniature avalanche had been let loose in the garden.
"Only cats," Deede Dawson exclaimed disgustedly, and from behind, nearer the house, Dunn called:
"Who's there? What is it? What's the matter? Is it Mr.Dawson?
Is anything wrong?"
"I think there is," said Deede Dawson softly."I think, perhaps, there is.What are you doing out here at this time of night, Charley Wright?""I heard a noise and came down to see what it was," answered Dunn.
"There was a light in the breakfast-room, but I didn't see any one, and the front door was open so I came out here.Is anything wrong?""That's what I want to know," said Deede Dawson."Come back to the house with me.If any one is about, he can just take himself off."He spoke the last sentence loudly, and Dunn took it as a veiled instruction to his companion to depart.
He realized that if he had saved Clive he had done so at the cost of missing the best opportunity that had yet come his way of obtaining very important, and, perhaps, decisive information.
To have discovered the identity of this stranger who had come visiting Deede Dawson might have meant much, and he told himself angrily that Clive's safety had certainly not been worth purchasing at the cost of such a lost chance, though he supposed that was a point on which Clive himself might possibly entertain a different opinion.
But now there was nothing for it but to go quietly back to the house, for clearly Deede Dawson's suspicions were aroused and he had his revolver ready in his hand.
