|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 44
Of course, this circumstance greatly increased the desire he had for one
more interview, however short, with Carrie. He wanted to understand her
position. Too much interested in the girl to wish to doubt her, grateful
to her for contriving his escape, Max yet found it difficult to
reconcile her actions with the honesty her words had caused him to
believe in.
However, finding that the door was inexorably closed upon him, he saw
that there was nothing for it but to take himself off into safer if less
interesting regions as quickly as possible. So he got out on the wharf,
through and over the timber, and was on the point of crossing to the
door in the fence, when he saw a man come quickly through, lock the door
behind him and make his way through the piles of timber with the easy,
stealthy step of a man accustomed to do this sort of thing, and to do it
at night.
Before the man got near him, Max, who had stepped back a little under
the wall of one of the outhouses, was sure that the newcomer was of
doubtful character. When the latter got out into the light thrown by the
street-lamp outside the wharf, this impression was confirmed.
A little man, young, of slight and active build, with a fair mustache,
blue eyes and curly, light hair, he was undoubtedly good-looking,
although there was something mean and sinister about the expression of
his face. Max could scarcely see all these details; but, as it was, he
made out enough for him to experience an idiotic pang of something like
jealousy, as he made up his mind on the instant that the object of the
young man's visit was to see Carrie.
The visitor wore a light overcoat, and had a certain look of being well
off, or, at least, well dressed.
And, suspicion getting the upper hand again, the thought darted through
the mind of Max that it was strange to find so many persons--this was
the third of whom he had knowledge--hovering about the shut-up house,
when Carrie had represented herself to have been alone for two whole
days.
Against his better judgment, Max followed the newcomer, step by step, at
a safe distance, and raised himself on the timber in such a way as to be
able to watch what followed.
The man in the light coat made his way with surprising neatness and
celerity over the timber to the door of the outhouse, at which he gave
two short knocks, a pause, and then two more.
After waiting for a few moments, the man repeated this signal, more
loudly than before.
And then the door opened, and Max heard the voice of Carrie, though it
was too dark for him to see her at that distance.
"You, Dick? Come in."
And the young man, without answering, availed himself of the invitation;
and the door was shut.
Max stared down at the closed door in perplexity and dismay. In spite of
all his adventures in that very doubtful house, or, perhaps, because of
them, his interest in Carrie, of the blue eyes and the wonderful voice,
was as strong as ever. Hovering between trust and mistrust, he told
himself at this point that she was nothing in the world but the thieves'
decoy he had at first suspected. But in that case, why had he himself
not been robbed? He wore a valuable watch; he had gold and notes in his
purse. And no attempt had been made to relieve him of either the one or
the other.
And the foolish fellow began to consider and to weigh one thing with the
other, and to become more and more eager to see the girl again if it
were only to upbraid her for her deceit, until he ended by slipping down
to the ground, going boldly to the door of the outhouse, and giving two
knocks, a pause, and two knocks more.
As he had expected, Carrie herself, after an interval of only a few
seconds, opened the door.
There was a little light in the outhouse, and none outside; and Max,
having taken a couple of steps to the left, she at first saw nobody. So
she made a step forward. Max instantly put himself between her and the
door.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|