As he turned the corner, he could not resist glancing back. A heavy figure was running up the steps to the hotel entrance—unmistakably Halsey.
Selden turned, with a sudden impulse, sped back and up the steps into the hotel. He must solve this mystery—at least he must establish beyond a doubt the connection between Halsey and the countess. He raced up the stair and reached the upper corridor just as Halsey paused before the door of the countess’s suite. It was evidently ajar, for he walked straight in without knocking, leaving it open behind him.
In an instant Selden was peering through the crack between door and jamb. The countess was taking a telegram from the hand of her maid.
“All right!” said Halsey roughly, as he burst in upon her. “I agree—to anything....”
“Wait!” said the countess, without even glancing at him, and ripped open the message with shaking fingers. Her eyes devoured its contents at a glance. Then she turned to him with a strange smile. “So you agree?”
“Yes.”
“You swear it?”
“Yes.”
“It was time!” she said. “Look at this,” and she thrust the sheet of paper beneath his eyes.
Halsey stared at it blankly.