“Where are you going?” asked the doctor.
“I have a thing to do,” she said.
He peered into her face and saw there that which shocked him, startled him. He would have stayed her. “Wait——” he commanded. She eluded his outstretched hand and hurried down the stairs. There was no indecision in her step or in her manner. There was no indecision in her soul. She knew where she was going, and why she was going.... She was on her way to find Abner Fownes!
CHAPTER XXVII
ABNER FOWNES was sitting in his library waiting for word from Sheriff Jenney. If matters went to-night as he felt certain they must go, he could live again in security, untroubled by conscience, with no apprehensions, and with his financial worries removed. Five truckloads of liquor had been discharged at the Lakeside Hotel. He knew that. The importation had been successful, without a hitch. Within a week the whisky would be distributed and the cash in hand.... It would be sufficient to clear his most troublesome obligations and to put him on his feet again. He considered this with a glow of satisfaction....
Carmel Lee had constituted a threat, but she was powerless to threaten now. At any moment word would arrive that she was in Jenney’s hands, her reputation in Gibeon would be destroyed, and she would be powerless. Public opinion would drive her from the place.
Abner sat back comfortably in his chair and looked forward to a life of quiet and importance. He would continue to live in security as Gibeon’s first citizen. He might even seek political preferment. In a year there would be a senatorial election. Why should he not stand for the position. To be Senator from his state—that was something, indeed. And why not? His reflections carried him to Washington. He saw himself in the Senate Chamber, listened to his voice rolling forth sonorous periods, heard with infinite satisfaction the applause of his fellow Senators....
The telephone rang and he was guilty of unseemly haste to reach the instrument.
“Hello!... Hello!... Who is it? Is it Jenney?”
“No,” said a voice, “it’s Deputy Jackson.... Look out for yourself.... There’s hell——”