“But you would like Mendes, I’m sure,” returned Fair, smiling. “Plays chess better than any man on earth, I believe. He was good enough to call to say good-bye, although he was in a beastly hurry. If you had kept your promise and dropped in for a go at billiards, you would have met him. I was able to do him a trifling service at one time ages ago, and the fellow seems never to forget it. I’m sorry he’s gone; I am, really.”
“Not returning, then?” inquired Travers, with no very great interest.
“I’m afraid not,” replied Fair, with a slight uneasiness. “I’d give a good deal to see him walk in that door this minute, though. You see——”
“Mr. Allyne is in the billiard-room, sir,” announced Baxter at the door.
“Run in and tell Allyne that I’ll join you presently, will you, Dick, that’s a good chap?” said Fair, with more of command than suggestion in his tone, so that Travers obeyed and followed Baxter down to the billiard-room.
In an instant Fair’s whole bearing changed. Closing the door, he picked up the hat and coat that Baxter had brought from the passage and thrust them into the large chest, carefully averting his face as he did so. Dropping into his chair he wiped the cold sweat from his face and signaled to the crack in the side door that whoever it was that had been gently opening it for some little time might now come in. As he knew, it was Mrs. Fair, who then entered, attired in another dinner gown.
Motioning to her that she must speak softly, Fair said: “Allyne and Travers are in the billiard-room. The rest will be coming presently. How are you, poor little Janet?”
She came and sat on the arm of his chair and put her face down upon his shoulder. “Am I awake?” she moaned after a few seconds. “Oh, Maxwell, for God’s sake, wake me and tell me that I have been dreaming. My God, what can we do? Where is—it?”
“Hush!” replied Fair, holding his arm about her. “Try not to think of him, dear. Be brave, sweet, for a couple of hours. Don’t be afraid. Have I ever failed you?”
“No, no—never, Maxwell—God bless you, never,” she sobbed. “But, oh—look, look—quick, hide that pistol!”