Then, almost on the men's heels, he had seen
Bruce and Wolf canter across the same road; headed for the
forest. And Dugan's correctly stolid face rippled into a pleased
smile.
Quickening his pace, he hurried on to the gateway and down the
drive. But, as he passed the house on his way to the garage where
stood the other and larger car, he paused. Out of an
ever-vigilant eye-corner, he saw an automobile turn in at the
gateway, two hundred yards up the wooded slope; and start down
the drive.
The Mistress and the Master were returning from the post office.
Dugan's smile vanished. He stopped in his tracks; and did some
fast thinking. Then, mounting the veranda steps, he knocked
boldly at a side door; the door nearest to him. As the maids were
in the kitchen or making up the bedrooms, his knock was unheard.
Half hidden by the veranda vines, he waited.
The car came down the driveway and circled the house to the side
farthest from Dugan. There, at the front door, it halted. The
Mistress and Lad got out. The Master did not go down to the
garage. Instead, he circled the house again; and chugged off up
the drive; bound for the station to meet a guest whose train was
due in another ten minutes.
Pages:
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340