with a bound she took her stand. she was white as death and greatly excited. watching her curiously, the crafty villain noted the quick throbbing of her throat and the feverish grip on the pistol.
"time is galloping," he remarked.
she gave a gasp, opened her lips and essayed to sing. an awful, indescribable murmur was all that could be heard. stiffening herself, she resolutely calmed down her agitation and tried again. the result was but little better than before. turning with a cry, she looked with horror-stricken eyes into the unmoved, slightly sardonic face of the man behind her.
"i cannot sing! you have frightened away my voice. i cannot raise that note even to save my father's life. i'm choking, choking." then as she caught the devilish gleam lighting up his eye, she added, "you will never have those thousands! the safe is closed to us both."
he laughed, a very low, cautious laugh, but it made her eyes distend with uncertainty and dread.
"you fail to do justice to my fore-*thought," said he.
"i took this into my calculations. i know women; they can be wicked enough, but they lack coolness. let me see now what i can do. i cannot sing, but i have a little aide de camp which can."
walking away from her, he approached a small table on which stood an object she had never seen in that[125] room before. it was covered with a cloth, and as he removed this cloth, she reeled with surprise; then she became still with hope and the rush of fresh and overpowering emotions.
a graphophone stood revealed, one of the finest quality. it was set to play the air so often on her lips, and in another moment that keen, high note rang through the room,—that and no more.
it answered. slowly, softly, after one breathless moment, the door they both watched with fascinated gaze swung slowly ajar, just as they had seen it do at the beginning of this interview, and johnson, coming forward, pulled it open with a jerk and began to fumble among the contents of the safe.
she could have killed him easily. he had forgotten—but so had she, and there was no one else by to remind her.[126] had there been, he would have seen a strange spectacle, for no sooner had johnson's hand struck those shelves and minute drawers, than grace lee's whole attitude and expression changed. from a terrified, incapable woman, she became again her old self, strong, self-controlled, watchful. creeping up behind him, she looked over his shoulders as he examined with his quick, experienced eye the various papers he drew out, noting his anger and growing disappointment as he found them unavailable for immediate use. conscious of her presence, his rage grew till it shot forth in words. not stinting oaths, he whirled on her after a moment and asked where the securities were. "you meant to have them; you know where the ready money is. show me, show me at once or——"
then a great anguish passed across her face, a look of farewell to hopes sweet and dearly cherished. if he saw it he did not heed. all his evil, indomitable will shone in the eye he turned up askance at her, and though she held the means of killing him in her hand, she bowed to that will, and leaning over him, she whispered in his ear:
"it was not paper i meant to have, but—but something else—i——"
she stopped, for breath was leaving her. his slim, assured hand was straying toward a certain knob hidden partly from sight, but plain to the touch if his fingers crept that way.
"listen!" she was gasping now, but her hand laid on his shoulder emphasized her words. "there are jewels at the other end; mrs. stoughton's bridal jewels. they are worth thousands. i—i—meant to take those. they are in a compartment under that[128] lower drawer. yes, yes—there they are; take them and be gone. i—i have lost—but you will give me back my father? see! there are not many minutes left. oh, be merciful and——"
