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And then to comfort himself； he called up the look he had surprised
in her eyes when he stood holding her hands in his。 He clung to it；
as a drowning man will clutch even at a piece of floating seaweed。
When he tried to speak he found his voice choked and stifled； and
that his distress was evident； he knew from the pity he read in the
eyes of Harris。
In a voice strange to him； he heard himself saying： 〃Why do you
think that？ You've got to tell me。 I have a right to know。 This
morning I asked Mrs。 Adair to marry me。〃
The consul exclaimed with dismay and squirmed unhappily。 〃I
didn't know；〃 he protested。 〃I thought I was in time。 I ought to
have told you days ago； but〃
〃Tell me now；〃 commanded Hemingway。
〃I know it in a thousand ways；〃 began Harris。
Hemingway raised his eyes hopefully。
But the consul shook his head。 〃But to convince you；〃 he went on；
〃I need tell you only one。 The thousand other proofs are looks they
have exchanged； sentences I have chanced to overhear； and that each
of them unknown to the other has told me of little happenings and
incidents which I found were common to both。 Each has described
the house in which he or she lived； and it was the same house。 They
claim to come from different cities in New England； they came from
the same city。 They claim〃
〃That is no proof；〃 cried Hemingway； 〃either that they are married；
or that the man is a criminal。〃
For a moment Harris regarded the other in silence。 Then he said：
〃You're making it very hard for me。 I see I've got to show you。
It's kindest； after all； to cut quick。〃 He leaned farther forward；
and his voice dropped。 Speaking quickly； he said：
〃Last summer I lived outside the town in a bungalow on the Pearl
Road。 Fearing's house was next to mine。 This was before Mrs。
Adair went to live at the agency； and while she was alone in
another bungalow farther down the road。 I was ill that summer；
my nerves went back on me。 I couldn't sleep。 I used to sit all night
on my veranda and pray for the sun to rise。 From where I sat it was
dark and no one could see me； but I could see the veranda of Fearing's
house and into his garden。 And night after night I saw Mrs。 Adair
creep out of Fearing's house； saw him walk with her to the gate； saw
him in the shadow of the bushes take her in his arms； and saw them
kiss。〃 The voice of the consul rose sharply。 〃No one knows that but
you and I； and；〃 he cried defiantly； 〃it is impossible for us to believe
ill of Polly Adair。 The easy explanation we refuse。 It is intolerable。
And so you must believe as I believe； that when she visited Fearing
by night she went to him because she had the right to go to him；
because already she was his wife。 And now when every one here
believes they met for the first time in Zanzibar； when no one will be
surprised if they should marry； they will go through the ceremony
again； and live as man and wife； as they are； as they were before he
fled from America！〃
Hemingway was seated with his elbows on the table and his face in
his hands。 He was so long silent that Harris struck the table roughly
with his palm。
〃Well；〃 he demanded； 〃why don't you speak？ Do you doubt her？
Don't you believe she is his wife？〃
〃I refuse to believe anything else！〃 said Hemingway。 He rose； and
slowly and heavily moved toward the door。 〃And I will not trouble
them any more；〃 he added。 〃I'll leave at sunrise on the Eitel。〃
Harris exclaimed in dismay； but Hemingway did not hear him。 In
the doorway he halted and turned back。 From his voice all trace
of emotion had departed。 〃Why；〃 he asked dully； 〃do you think
Fearing is a fugitive？ Not that it matters to her； since she loves
him； or that it matters to me。 Only I would like to think you were
wrong。 I want her to have only the best。〃
Again the consul moved unhappily。
〃I oughtn't to tell you；〃 he protested； 〃and if I do I ought to tell the
State Department； and a detective agency first。 They have the call。
They want him； or a man damned like him。〃 His voice dropped to a
whisper。 〃The man wanted is Henry Brownell； a cashier of a bank in
Waltham； Mass。； thirty…five years of age； smooth…shaven； college…bred；
speaking with a marked New England accent； andand with other
marks that fit Fearing like the cover on a book。 The department and
the Pinkertons have been devilling the life out of me about it for nine
months。 They are positive he is on the coast of Africa。 I put them off。
I wasn't sure。〃
〃You've been protecting them；〃 said Hemingway。
〃I wasn't sure；〃 reiterated Harris。 〃And if I were； the Pinkertons can do
their own sleuthing。 The man's living honestly now； anyway； isn't he？〃
he demanded； 〃and she loves him。 At least she's stuck by him。 Why
should I punish her？〃
His tone seemed to challenge and upbraid。
〃Good God！〃 cried the other； 〃I'm not blaming you！ I'd be proud of the
chance to do as much。 I asked because I'd like to go away thinking she's
content； thinking she's happy with him。〃
〃Doesn't it look as though she were？〃 Harris protested。 〃She's followed
himfollowed him half around the globe。 If she'd been happier away
from him； she'd have stayed away from him。〃
So intent had been the men upon their talk that neither had noted
the passing of the minutes or； what at other times was an event
of moment； that the mail steamer had distributed her mail and
passengers； and when a servant entered bearing lamps； and from
the office the consul's clerk appeared with a bundle of letters
from the Eitel； both were taken by surprise。
〃So late？〃 exclaimed Hemingway。 〃I must go。 If I'm to sail with
the Eitel at daybreak； I've little time！〃
But he did not go。
As he advanced toward Harris with his hand outstretched in adieu；
the face of the consul halted him。 With the letters； the clerk
had placed upon the table a visiting…card； and as it lay in the
circle of light from the lamp the consul； as though it were alive
and menacing； stared at it in fascination。 Moving stiffly； he
turned it so that Hemingway could see。 On it Hemingway read；
〃George S。 Sheyer；〃 and； on a lower line； 〃Representing William
L。 Pinkerton。〃
To the woman he loved the calamity they dreaded had come； and
Hemingway； with a groan of dismay； exclaimed aloud：
〃It is the end！〃
From the darkness of the outer office a man stepped softly into
the circle of the lamp。 They could see his figure only from the
waist down； the rest of him was blurred in shadows。
〃'It is the end'？〃 he repeated inquiringly。 He spoke the phrase
with peculiar emphasis； as though to impress it upon the memory
of the two others。 His voice was cool； alert； authoritative。 〃The
end of what？〃 he demanded sharply。
The question was most difficult。 In the silence the detective
moved into the light。 He was tall and strongly built； his face
was shrewd and intelligent。 He might have been a prosperous man
of business。
〃Which of you is the consul？〃 he asked。 But he did not take his
eyes from Hemingway。
〃I am the consul；〃 said Harris。 But still the detective did not
turn from Hemingway。
〃Why；〃 he asked； 〃did this gentleman； when he read my card； say；
'It is the end'？ The end of what？ Has anything been going on here
that came to an end when he saw my card？〃
Disconcerted； in deep embarrassment； Harris struggled for a word。
But his distress was not observed by the detective。 His eyes；
suspicious and accusing； still were fixed upon Hemingway； and
under their scrutiny Harris saw his friend slowly retreat； slowly
crumple up into a chair； slowly raise his hands to cover his
face。 As though in a nightmare； he heard him saying savagely：
〃It is the end of two years of hell； it is the end of two years
of fear and agony！ Now I shall have peace。 Now I shall sleep！
I thank God you've come！ I thank God I can go back！〃
Harris broke the spell by leaping to his feet。 He sprang between
the two men。
〃What does this mean？〃 he commanded。
Hemingway raised his eyes and surveyed him steadily。
〃It means；〃 he said； 〃that I have deceived you； Harristhat I am
the man you told me of； I am the man they want。〃 He turned to the
officer。
〃I fooled him for four months；〃 he said。 〃I couldn't fool you for
five minutes。〃
The eyes of the detective danced with sudden excitement； joy； and
triumph。 He shot an eager glance from Hemingway to the consul。
〃This man；〃 he demanded； 〃who is he？〃
With an impatient gesture Hemingway signified Harris。
〃He doesn't know who I am；〃 he said。 〃He knows me as Hemingway。
I am Henry Brownell； of Waltham； Mass。〃 Again his face sank into
the palms of his hands。 〃And I'm tiredtired；〃 he moaned。 〃I am
sick of not knowing； sick of running away。 I give myself up。〃
The detective breathed a sigh of relief that seemed to issue from
his soul。
〃My God；〃 he sighed； 〃you've given me a long chase！ I've had
eleven months of you； and I'm as sick of this as you are。〃 He
recovered himself sharply。 As though reciting an incantation； he
addressed Hemingway in crisp； emotionless notes。
〃Henry Brownell；〃 he chanted； 〃I arrest you in the name of the
commonwealth of Massachusetts for the robbery； on October th