He left me and walked briskly off down the avenue. I fetched a pair of field-glasses, and watched him until he reached the lodge gates. A few moments later I saw him climb into a motor car, and vanish in a cloud of dust....
Later in the afternoon a victoria drew up before my front door just as I was starting for the village. Lady Dennisford leaned forward as I approached. She was closely veiled, but her voice shook with anxiety.
"It is hard to say," I answered. "He has been writing for the last three hours. I was just going down to see if Rust has heard from the London man he wired for."
"Do you know why," she whispered, "he is so sure that he is going to die?"
"He seems to imagine," I said, "that he has some enemies."
"I am afraid," she said, "that it is no imagination."
"He has told me, perhaps," she said, a little hastily, "more than he has told you, and perhaps I am in a better position to understand. Mr. Courage, I wonder whether it would be possible for me to have an interview with any one of these men who are watching him."
"If you had been here a few hours ago," I said, "it would have been very possible indeed. One of them was here."
"No! Guest is writing secrets with a loaded revolver by his side. He certainly does not want to see any of that crew."
"Oh! he is mad," she murmured. "Why should he not buy his life? What else is there that counts?"
"There are two to a bargain," I answered. "I do not think that he has value to give."
"Oh! he has," she answered, "if only he would be reasonable."
We were silent for a moment. In the distance, coming up the avenue, was the figure of a man. I watched him with curiosity. Finally I pointed him out to Lady Dennisford.
"Do you see this man coming up to the house?" I said--"a sleek, middle-aged man smoking a cigar?"
"What do you think he looks like?" I asked.
"A prosperous tradesman," she answered. "A friend of your bailiff's, perhaps."
"He calls himself Mr. Stanley from Liverpool," I answered, "and you can bargain with him for Guest's life."
"He is," I answered grimly, for I had good reason to know it.
"I am going to meet him," she said. "No! please let me go alone," she added, as I prepared to accompany her. "Afterwards we may need you."