“I’ve never failed.”
Gollowitz said huskily, “And what about the girl? What are you going to do about her?”
“Don’t let us be impatient. First things first,” Ferrari said. “I shall have to make a very special plan for her. She’ll be more closely guarded after Weiner’s gone. It should be an interesting problem.” His sunken eyes studied Gollowitz. “But she’ll go too. I promise you that. It may take a little time: it will take a lot of thought, but she’ll go.” He slid out of his chair. “I think I’ll take a nap. I don’t expect I shall get much sleep tonight. You’ll be here around half-past eleven? I shall then have news for you.”
Gollowitz nodded.
Ferrari walked to the door, opened it, turned to look first at Gollowitz and then at Seigel; then he went out closing the door behind him.
II
The night was hot and close, without a breath of air, and heavy’, black clouds hung in the sky. All day there had been a brooding, still atmosphere that had been getting hotter and more electric as the hours passed.
Conrad stood on the stoop of the hunting lodge and stared up at the sky.
“I’ll be glad when the storm breaks,” he said to Madge Fielding. “This is making me feel like a wet rag.”
Madge, who had spent the entire day with Frances, had come out on the verandah for a change of air. In spite of the close atmosphere, it was at least a little cooler outside than in the lodge.