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CHAPTER XVII
SHALL BE GIVEN
For one long week of seven long days and seven long nights Annette
fought out her gallant fight for life； fought and won。 Throughout
the week at her side Adrien waited day and night； except for a few
hours snatched for rest； when Patricia took her place； for there
was not a nurse to be had in all that time and Patricia begged for
the privilege of sharing her vigil with her。
Every day and in the darkest days all day long； it seemed to
Adrien； McNish haunted the Maitland homefor he had abandoned all
pretence of workhis gaunt； grey face and hollow eyes imploring a
word of hope。
But it was chiefly to Jack throughout that week that Adrien's heart
went out in compassionate pity； for in his face there dwelt a
misery so complete； so voiceless that no comfort of hers appeared
to be able to bring relief。 Often through those days did Annette
ask to see him； but the old doctor was relentless。 There must be
absolute quiet and utter absence of all excitement。 No visitors
were to be permitted； especially no men visitors。
But the day came when the ban was lifted and with smiling face；
Adrien came for Jack。
〃You have been such a good boy；〃 she cried gaily； 〃that I am going
to give you a great treat。 You are to come in with me。〃
With face all alight Jack followed her into the sick room。
〃Here he is； Annette；〃 cried Adrien。 〃Now； remember； no fussing；
no excitement； and just one quarter of an houror perhaps a little
longer；〃 she added。
For a moment or two Jack stood looking at the girl lying upon the
bed。
〃Oh； Annette； my dear； dear girl；〃 he cried in a breaking voice as
he knelt down by her side and took her hand in his。
So much reached Adrien's ears as she closed the door and passed to
her room with step weary and lifeless。
〃Why； Adrien；〃 cried her sister； who was waiting to relieve her；
〃you are like a ghost！ You poor dear。 You are horribly done out。〃
〃I believe I am； Patricia；〃 said Adrien。 〃I believe I shall rest
awhile。〃 She lay down on the bed； her face turned toward the wall；
and so remained till Patricia went softly away； leaving her； as she
thought； to sleep。
Downstairs Patricia found Victor Forsythe awaiting her。
〃Poor Adrien is really used up；〃 she said。 〃She has a deathly look
in her face。 Just the same look as she had that night of the
hockey match。 Do you remember？〃
〃The night of the hockey dance？ Do I remember？ A ghastly nighta
horrid nighta night of unspeakable wretchedness。〃
As Vic was speaking； Patricia kept her eyes steadily upon him with
a pondering； puzzled look。
〃What is it； Patricia？ I know you want to ask me something。 Is it
about that night？〃
〃I wonder if you would really mind very much； Vic； if I asked you？〃
〃Not in the very least。 I shall doubtless enjoy it after it's out。
Painless dentistry effect。 Go to it； Patsy。〃
〃It is very serious； Vic。 I always think people in books are so
stupid。 They come near to the truth and then just miss getting
it。〃
〃The truth。 Ah！ Go on； Pat。〃
〃Well； Vic；〃 said Patricia with an air of one taking a desperate
venture； 〃why did you not give Adrien her note that night？ It
would have saved her and me such pain。 I cried all night long。 I
had so counted on a dance with Jackand then never a word from
him。 But he did send a note。 He told me so。 I never told Adrien
that； for she forbade me； oh； so terribly； never to speak of it
again。 Why didn't you give her or me the note； Vic？〃 Patricia's
voice was very pathetic and her eyes very gentle but very piercing。
All the laughter died out of Victor's face。 〃Pat； I lied to you
once； only once； and that lie has cost me many an hour's misery。
But now I shall tell you the truth and the whole truth。〃 And he
proceeded to recount the tribulations which he endured on the night
of the hockey dance。 〃I did it to help you both out； Pat。 I
thought I could make it easy for you。 It was all a sheer guess；
but it turned out to be pretty well right。〃
Patricia nodded her head。 〃But you received no note？〃
〃Not a scrap； Patricia； so help me。 Not a scrap。 Patricia； you
believe me？〃
The girl looked straight into Vic's honest eyes。 〃Yes； Vic；〃 she
said； 〃I believe you。 But Jack sent a note。〃
Vic sprang to his feet。 〃Good…bye； Watson。 You shall hear from me
within an hour。〃
〃Whatever do you mean？ Where are you going？〃
〃Dear lady； ask no questions。 I am about to Sherlock。 Farewell。〃
At the door he overtook Jack。 〃Aha！ The first link in the chain。
Hello； old chap； a word with you。 May I get into your car？〃
〃Certainly。 Get in。〃
〃Now then； about that note。 Nothing like diplomacy。 The night of
the hockey dance you sent a note to a lady？〃
Jack glanced at him in amazement。
〃Don't be an ass； Vic。 I don't feel like that stuff just now。〃
〃This is serious。 Did you send a note by me that night of the
hockey dance？〃
〃By you？ No。 Who said I did？〃
〃Aha！ The mystery deepens。 By whom？ Nothing like finesse。〃
〃It is none of your business；〃 said Jack crossly。
〃Check；〃 cried Vic。
〃What are you talking about； anyway？〃 inquired Jack。
〃A note was sent by you；〃 said Vic impressively； 〃through some
agency at present unknown。 So far； so good。〃
〃Unknown？ What rubbish。 I sent a note by Sam Wigglesworth； who
gave it to some of you for Adrien。 What about it？〃
As they approached the entrance to the Maitland Mills Vic saw a
stream of employees issue from the gate。
〃Nothing more at present；〃 he said。 〃This is my corner。 Let me
out。 I am in an awful hurry； Jack。〃
〃Will you tell me； please； what all this means？〃 said Jack angrily。
〃Sorry； old chap。 Awfully hurried just now。 See you later。〃
〃You are a vast idiot；〃 grumbled Jack； as Vic ran down the street。
He took his place at the corner which commanded the entrance to the
Maitland works。 〃Here I shall wait； abstractedly gazing at the
passers…by； until the unhappy Sam makes his appearance；〃 mused Vic
to himself。 〃And by the powers； here Sam is now。〃
From among the employees as they poured from the gate Victor
pounced upon his victim and bore him away down a side street。
〃Sam；〃 he said； 〃it may be you are about to die； so tell me the
truth。 I hate to take your young life。〃 Sam grinned at his
captor； unafraid。 〃Cast your mind back to the occasion of the
hockey dance。 You remember that？〃
〃You bet I do； Mister。 I made a dollar that night。〃
〃Ah！ A dollar。 Yes； you did； for delivering a note given you by
Captain Jack Maitland；〃 hissed Vic； gripping his arm。
〃Huh…huh；〃 said Sam。 〃Look out； Mister； that's me。〃
〃Villain！〃 cried Vic。 〃Boy； I mean。 Now； Sam； did you deliver
that note？〃
〃Of course I did。 Didn't Captain Jack give me a dollar for it？ I
didn't want his dollar。〃
〃The last question； Sam；〃 said Vic solemnly； 〃to whom did you
deliver the note？〃
〃To that chap； the son of the storekeeper。〃
〃Rupert Stillwell？〃 suggested Vic。
〃Huh…huh； that's his name。 That's him now；〃 cried Sam。 〃In that
Hudson carseetherequick！〃
〃Boy；〃 said Vic solemnly； 〃you have saved your life。 Here's a
dollar。 Now； remember； not a word about this。〃
〃All right； sir；〃 grinned Sam delightedly； as he made off down the
street。
〃Now then； what？〃 said Vic to himself。 〃This thing has got past
the joke stage。 I must do some thinking。 Shall I tell Pat or not？
By Jove； by Jove； that's not the question。 When that young lady
gets those big eyes of hers on me the truth will flow in a limpid
stream。 I must make sure of my ground。 Meantime I shall do the
Kamerad act。〃
That afternoon Annette had another visitor。 Her nurse； though
somewhat dubious as to the wisdom of this indulgence； could not
bring herself to refuse her request that McNish should be allowed
to see her。
〃But you must be tired。 Didn't Jack tire you？〃 inquired Adrien。
A soft and tender light stole into the girl's dark eyes。
〃Ah； Jack。 He could not tire me；〃 she murmured。 〃He makes so much
of what I did。 How gladly would I do it again。 Jack is wonderful
to me。 Wonderful to me；〃 she repeated softly。 Her lip trembled
and she lay back upon her pillow and from her closed eyes two tears
ran down her cheek。
〃Now；〃 said Adrien briskly； 〃you are too tired。 We shall wait till
to…morrow。〃
〃No； no； please；〃 cried Annette。 〃Jack didn't tire me。 He
comforts me。〃
〃But Malcolm will tire you；〃 said Adrien。 〃Do you really want to
see him？〃
A faint colour came up into the beautiful face of her patient。
〃Yes； Adrien； I really want to see him。 I am sure he will do me
good。 You will let him come； please？〃 The dark eyes were shining
with another light； more wistful； more tender。
〃Is he here； Adrien？〃
〃Is he here？〃 echoed Adrien scornfully。 〃Has he been anywhere else
the last seven days？〃
〃Poor Malcolm；〃 said the girl； the tenderness in her voice becoming
protective。 〃I have been very bad to him； and he loves me so。 Oh；
he is just mad about me！〃 A little smile stole round the corners
of her mouth。
〃Oh； you needn't tell me that； Annette；〃 said Adrien。 〃It is easy