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away！〃
〃What about Esther？〃 he asked quietly。
〃You must leave her；〃 she cried； with a little catch in her throat。
〃Gerald has broken away。 Esther and I must carry still the burden。〃
She motioned him to go。 He touched her fingers for a moment。
〃Mrs； Fentolin；〃 he said； 〃I have been a good many years making up
my mind。 Now that I have done so； I do not think that any one will
keep Esther from me。〃
She looked at him a little pitifully； a little wistfully。 Then；
with a shrug of the shoulders； she turned round to the piano and
recommenced to play。 Hamel took his coat and hat from a servant
who was waiting in the hail and passed out into the night。
He walked briskly until he reached the Tower。 The wind had risen；
but there was still enough light to help him on his way。 The
little building was in complete darkness。 He opened the door and
stepped into the sitting…room； lit the lamp； and； holding it over
his head； went down the passage and into the kitchen。 Then he gave
a start。 The lamp nearly slipped from his fingers。 Kneeling on
the stone floor； in very much the same attitude as he had found her
earlier in the day； Hannah Cox was crouching patiently by the door
which led into the boathouse； her face expressionless； her ear
turned towards the crack。 She was still listening。
CHAPTER XXXI
Hamel set down the lamp upon the table。 He glanced at the little
clock upon the dresser； it was a quarter past ten。 The woman had
observed his entrance； although it seemed in no way to have
discomposed her。
〃Do you know the time； Mrs。 Cox？〃 he asked。 〃You ought to have been
home hours ago。 What are you doing there？〃
She rose to her feet。 Her expression was one of dogged but patient
humility。
〃I started for home before nine o'clock； sir；〃 she told him； 〃but
it was worse than ever to…night。 All the way along by the sea I
seemed to hear their voices； so I came back。 I came back to listen。
I have been listening for an hour。〃
Hamel looked at her with a frown upon his forehead。
〃Mrs。 Cox；〃 he said； 〃I wish I could understand what it is that you
have in your mind。 Those are not real voices that you hear； you
cannot believe that？〃
〃Not real voices；〃 she repeated； without the slightest expression in
her tone。
〃Of course not！ And tell me what connection you find between these
fancies of yours and that room？ Why do you come and listen here？
〃I do not know；〃 she answered patiently。
〃You must have some reason；〃 he persisted。
〃I have no reason；〃 she assured him； 〃only some day I shall see
behind these doors。 Afterwards； I shall hear the voices no more。〃
She was busy tying a shawl around her head。 Hamel watched her；
still puzzled。 He could not get rid of the idea that there was
some method behind her madness。
〃Tell me … I have found you listening here before。 Have you ever
heard anything suspicious？〃
〃I have heard nothing yet；〃 she admitted； 〃nothing that counts。〃
〃Come；〃 he continued； 〃couldn't we clear this matter up sensibly？
Do you believe that there is anybody in there？ Do you believe the
place is being used in any way for a wrong purpose？ If so； we will
insist upon having the keys from Mr。 Fentolin。 He cannet refuse。
The place is mine。
〃Mr。 Fentolin would not give you the keys； sir；〃 she replied。 〃If
he did； it would be useless。〃
〃Would you like me to break the door in？〃 Hamel asked。
〃You could not do it； sir；〃 she told him； 〃not you nor anybody else。
The door is thicker than my fist； of solid oak。 It was a mechanic
from New York who fitted the locks。 I have heard it said in the
village … Bill Hamas； the carpenter； declares that there are double
doors。 The workmen who were employed here were housed in a tent
upon the beach and sent home the day they finished their job。 They
were never allowed in the village。 They were foreigners； most of
them。 They came from nobody knows where； and when they had finished
they disappeared。 Why was that； sir？ What is there inside which
Mr。 Fentolin needs to guard so carefully？〃
〃Mr。 Fentolin has invented something；〃 Hamel explained。 〃He keeps
the model in there。 Inventors are very jealous of their work。〃
She looked down upon the floor for a moment。
〃I shall be here at seven o'clock in the morning； sir。 I will give
you your breakfast at the usual time。〃
Hamel opened the door for her。
〃Good night； Mrs。 Cox；〃 he said。 〃Would you like me to walk a
little way with you？ It's a lonely path to the village； and the
dikes are full。〃
〃Thank you； no； sir；〃 she replied。 〃It's a lonely way； right enough；
but it isn't loneliness that frightens me。 I am less afraid out
with the winds and the darkness than under this roof。 If I lose my
way and wander all night upon the marsh； I'll be safer out there
than you； sir。
She passed away； and Hamel watched her disappear into the darkness。
Then he dragged out a bowl of tobacco and filled a pipe。 Although
he was half ashamed of himself； he strolled back once more into the
kitchen； and； drawing up a stool； he sat down just where he had
discovered Hannah Cox； sat still and listened。 No sound of any sort
reached him。 He sat there for ten minutes。 Then he scrambled to
his feet。
〃She is mad； of course！〃 he muttered。
He mixed himself a whisky and soda； relit his pipe； which had gone
out； and drew up an easy…chair to the fire which she had left him
in the sitting…room。 The wind had increased in violence； and the
panes of his window rattled continually。 He yawned and tried to
fancy that he was sleepy。 It was useless。 He was compelled to
admit the truth … that his nerves were all on edge。 In a sense he
was afraid。 The thought of bed repelled him。 He had not a single
impulse towards repose。 Outside； the wind all the time was
gathering force。 More than once his window was splashed with the
spray carried on by the wind which followed the tide。 He sat quite
still and tried to think calmly； tried to piece together in his mind
the sequence of events which had brought him to this part of the
world and which had led to his remaining where he was； an undesired
hanger…on at the threshold of Miles Fentolin。 He had the feeling
that to…night he had burned his boats。 There was no longer any
pretence of friendliness possible between him and this strange
creature。 Mr。 Fentolin suspected him； realised that he himself was
suspected。 But of what？ Hamel moved in his chair restlessly。
Sometimes that gathering cloud of suspicion seemed to him grotesque。
Of what real harm could he be capable； this little autocrat who from
his chair seemed to exercise such a malign influence upon every one
with whom he was brought into contact？ Hamel sighed。 The riddle
was insoluble。 With a sudden rush of warmer and more joyous
feelings； he let the subject slip away from him。 He closed his eyes
and dreamed for a while。 There was a new world before him； joys
which only so short a time ago he had fancied had passed him by。
He sat up in his chair with a start。 The fire had become merely
a handful of grey ashes； his limbs were numb and stiff。 The lamp
was flickering out。 He had been dozing； how long he had no idea。
Something had awakened him abruptly。 There was a cold draught
blowing through the room。 He turned his head； his hands still
gripping the sides of his chair。 His heart gave a leap。 The
outer door was a few inches open； was being held open by some
invisible force。 There was some one there； some one on the point
of entering stealthily。 Even as he watched； the crack became a
little wider。 He sat with his eyes riveted upon that opening
space。 The unseen hand was still at work。 Every instant he
expected to see a face thrust forward。 The sensation of absolute
physical fear by which he was oppressed was a revelation to him。
He found himself wishing almost feverishly that he was armed。 The
physical strength in which he had trusted seemed to him at that
instant a valueless and impotent thing。 There was a splash of
spray or raindrops against the window and through the crack in
the door。 The lamp chimney hissed and spluttered and finally the
light went out。 The room was in sudden darkness。 Hamel sprang
then to his feet。 Silence had become an intolerable thing。 He
felt the close presence of another human being creeping in upon
him。
〃Who's there？〃 he cried。 〃Who's there； I say？〃
There was no direct answer； only the door was pushed a little
further open。 He had stepped close to it now。 The sweep of the
wind was upon his face； although in the black darkness he could
see nothing。 And then a sudden recollection flashed in upon him。
》From his trousers pocket he snatched a little electric torch。 In
an instant his thumb had pressed the button。 He turned it upon
the door。 The shivering white hand which held it open was plainly
in view。 It was the hand of a woman！ He stepped swiftly forward。
A dark figure almost fell into his arms。
〃Mrs； Fentolin！〃 he exclaimed； aghast。
An hysterical cry； choked and subdued； broke from her lips。 He
half carried； half led her to his easy…chair。 Suddenly steadied by
the presence of this unlooked…for emergency； he close