XLII. AT SIX
Mr. Challoner had been honest in his statement regarding the departureof Sweetwater. He had not only paid and dismissed our young detective,but he had seen him take the train for New York. And Sweetwater had goneaway in good faith, too, possibly with his convictions undisturbed, butacknowledging at last that he had reached the end of his resources. Butthe brain does not loose its hold upon its work as readily as the handdoes. He was halfway to New York and had consciously bidden farewell tothe whole subject, when he suddenly startled those about him by risingimpetuously to his feet. He sat again immediately, but with a light inhis small grey eye which Mr. Gryce would have understood and revelledin. The idea for which he had searched industriously for months had comeat last, unbidden; thrown up from some remote recess of the mind whichhad seemingly closed upon the subject forever.
"I have it. I have it," he murmured in ceaseless reiteration to himself."I will go back to Mr. Challoner and let him decide if the idea is worthpursuing. Perhaps an experiment may be necessary. It was bitter coldthat night; I wish it were icy weather now. But a chemist can help usout. Good God! if this should be the explanation of the mystery, alasfor Orlando and alas for Oswald!"
But his sympathies did not deter him. He returned to Derby at once, andas soon as he dared, presented himself at the hotel and asked for Mr.Challoner.
He was amazed to find that gentleman already up and in a state ofagitation that was very disquieting. But he brightened wonderfully atsight of his visitor, and drawing him inside the room, observed withtrembling eagerness:
"I do not know why you have come back, but never was man more welcome.Mr. Brotherson has confessed."
"Confessed!"
"Yes, he killed both women; my daughter and his neighbour, thewasherwoman, with a--"
"Wait," broke in Sweetwater, eagerly, "let me tell you." And stooping,he whispered something in the other's ear.
Mr. Challoner stared at him amazed, then slowly nodded his head.
"How came you to think--" he began; but Sweetwater in his great anxietyinterrupted him with a quick:
"Explanations will keep, Mr. Challoner. What of the man himself? Whereis he? That's the important thing now."
"He was in his room till early this morning writing letters, but he isnot there now. The door is unlocked and I went in. From appearances Ifear the worst. That is why your presence relieves me so. Where do youthink he is?"
"In his hangar in the woods. Where else would he go to--"
"I have thought of that. Shall we start out alone or take witnesses withus?"
"We will go alone. Does Oswald anticipate--"
"He is sure. But he lacks strength to move. He lies on my bed in there.Doris and her father are with him."
"We will not wait a minute. How the storm holds off. I hope it will holdoff for another hour."
Mr. Challoner made no reply. He had spoken because he felt compelled tospeak, but it had not been easy for him, nor could any trifles move himnow.
The town was up by this time and, though they chose the least frequentedstreets, they had to suffer from some encounters. It was a good halfhour before they found themselves in the forest and in sight of thehangar. One look that way, and Sweetwater turned to see what the effectwas upon Mr. Challoner.
A murmur of dismay greeted him. The oval of that great lid stood upagainst the forest background.
"He has escaped," cried Mr. Challoner.
But Sweetwater, laying a finger on his lip, advanced and laid his earagainst the door. Then he cast a quick look aloft. Nothing was to beseen there. The darkness of storm in the heavens but nothing more.--Yes!now, a flash of vivid and destructive lightning!
The two men drew back and their glances crossed.
"Let us return to the highroad," whispered Sweetwater; "we can seenothing here."
Mr. Challoner, trembling very much, wheeled slowly about.
"Wait," enjoined Sweetwater. "First let me take a look inside."
Running to the nearest tree, he quickly climbed it, worked himself alonga protruding branch and looked down into the open hangar. It was now sodark that details escaped him, but one thing was certain. The air-shipwas not there.
Descending, he drew Mr. Challoner hastily along. "He's gone," said he."Let us reach the high ground as quickly as we can. I'm glad that Mr.Oswald Brotherson is not with us or--or Miss Doris."
But this expression of satisfaction died on his lips. At the point wherethe forest road debouches into the highway, he had already caughta glimpse of their two figures. They were waiting for news, and thebrother spoke up the instant he saw Sweetwater:
"Where is he? You've not found him or you wouldn't be coming alone. Hecannot have gone up. He cannot manage it without an assistant. We mustseek him somewhere else; in the forest or in our house at home. Ah!" Thelightning had forked again.
"He's not in the forest and he's not in your home," returned Sweetwater."He's aloft; the air-ship is not in the shed. And he can go up alonenow." Then more slowly: "But he cannot come down."
They strained their eyes in a maddening search of the heavens. But thedarkness had so increased that they could be sure of nothing. Doris sankupon her knees.
Suddenly the lightning flashed again, this time so vividly and so nearthat the whole heaven burst into fiery illumination above them and thethunder, crashing almost simultaneously, seemed for a moment to rockthe world and bow the heavens towards them. Then a silence; thenSweetwater's whisper in Mr. Challoner's ear:
"Take them away! I saw him; he was falling like a shot."
Mr. Challoner threw out his arms, then steadied himself. Oswald wasreeling; Oswald had seen too. But Doris was there. When the lightningflashed again, she was standing and Oswald was weeping on her bosom.
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