The Shadow of a Man

I com

nted speech with Moya before he went to bed. He was about to knock again when the door was opened without a word. There

oy

do you

o speak

t ab

with. What's the tro

ief to speak about anything to anybody. Theodore was the last person in whom she could or would confide. But there was something comfortabl

-box, and shut the door he

ya. "I-I'd rather they didn't hea

ding to ourselves, you and I. Rat

a, for in your southern summers the best parlour of all is th

en do please tell me what's

ou see? I'm

ed, but his next

ow with

ng forward witho

hated

point you, I'm sure! I should have thought even you could have seen there

er brother, as he might have complimen

pirit, "without your making it worse. The police in po

"It is unpleasant. I wonde

Moya; for the note of interr

ous-looking loafers, I supp

was with Pelha

she might not share, not because they were discreditable, but for the other reason. Yet she must be a humbug for his sake! Moya felt a well-kn

e verandah all the afternoon. Nobody co

about that.

istic, normal. It struck her as incompatible with any st

shifting it, "what must it be for Pelham!

m. She would never marry a man--the haunting sentence went for once unfinished. Theodore was favou

the latest develo

omething fresh si

not know that she wa

said he dryly. "Rigden thinks h

etrayal of alarm; she was less proof against

it!" she cried w

asked Theod

art of the police, I mean-that they should spend ho

r from lowered lids. He

d slowly, "if-our

inquired Moya, up in

n, of

y be mistaken about

it's po

of course! You have a wide experience of the

till the morning. Th

illiant brother! I want to know why-I

th justified and stimulated his own. Sarcasm he held to be the salt of int

Theodore. "The heathen is to be put upon the

ile you

if I do," said T

u haven't b

ore s

now a man's track from

ore l

doubts, and a reason or so for them; then I haven't your admirable ground of belief in the infallibili

at that in his mind, and she made up he

demanded, as though it mattered. "If the creatu

is did

t gravity for him, "I should say that he

ew y

as somewhere about the homestead, not the run

I

ed up in

that to me? How da

self. If not, why be in such a state? Why not go to bed and to sleep like a rational person? I confess I don't feel like doing so myself-with the chance of waking up to find an escaped criminal on your chest. I prefer to sit up

said Moya, "why did

me; so, of course, I can't expect you

fight in her. "So you intend to sit u

d

so d

dubious, but onl

there may be somet

k there

Theodore with decision: "I believe th

now all. One moment she thought he did, the next that he did not; indifference was creeping over her with the long-drawn strain of the situation. Wha

, and she feigned consent. One of his objects in sitting up himself was to secure her safety. He might be wrong in all

my general ideas to Rigden; otherwise it might be rather much to take upon one's self; but as it is I have no scruples. If nothing happens, I've si

t is

do you mind keeping a look-out whil

don't

y on the sto

, I

me straight to me, but

y we

f you see

es

n't be man

e was

l

s fainting under the triple strain of fear and shame and outraged love. Yes, she was in love, but she would never marry him. Never! It was the irony of her fate to love a man whom she would rathe

ssential one. And now her strength was renewed with her resolve, so that she was up and doing within the few seconds afo

in the sandy space between the main building and the store. He was again wearing the yellow silk dust-coat of which enough h

e not? While she hesitated, he let himself in, took out the key, and once more locked the door behind him

uld return,

; minute followed minute, and there

e in the dust-coat emerged as it had entered; and vanish

. Theodore had been so long, he might be longer; risk it she must, and take the consequences. Two steps carried her across the verandah; lighter she had never taken in a ball-room, where her rep

, the runaway ruffian in the store! One

it was open. She stood confounded on the threshold, and a head bending over the desk, under the lamp, behind

ger, past memory itself in the semi-insensibility of over-whe

ed my life," he said. "I've got him

lashed their u

tually give h

un the gauntlet on it, and I shall find it at the first gate. But what i

d out through my own brother. He suspected the man was in here-I don't know why. He was going to watc

eld up h

id. "Here is

He stood in the doorway with expressive eyebrows and eloquent nostrils, looking from Moya

s enough to think it was?" continued Theodore, using a word which Moya had

e h

elliptical explanation. Theodor

a's suspicions. "I should have minded my own business, Rigden, and I apologise. I'd got

en, sincerely enough. "But a drink w

the first to leave the store; but on the threshold

n't see anybody else

t's pause. Then Moy

didn't," we

ya waited behind as in devotion while Rigd

n't think it's because I care a bit what happens to you-

you," h

hat w