The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-05-26
CHAPTER Ix-Continued

dispersed, and my plight became
an adventure, which I was sharing
with her-a very insignificant BUSH
ness, because that we were together
was so much more important than
anything else.
I tried my best to tell her that all
was well. And ! think that she UNI
derstood. for the rarest smile stole
into her lovely eyes And then
/ came back to earth, like giant
refreshed.
She was gagged and bound, as I
was. But her ankles were tied to-
gether, as well as her delicate
wrists. Cord had been used-to do
this sacrilege. She was clad in a
blue cloth dress that did not know
mo doubt to bear out the sugges-
ton of sudden flight. Her beautiful
hair was tumbled, but that was all.
Virgil was speaking again.
'sYou will have observed, Mr.. Ex-
on, perhaps with hope, that while
we have bound my Cousins, we
have not bound your feet. will tell
you why. Because she is light to
carry, but you are not. And so you
will walk-to the car. Now, lest
you should abuse this freedom, I'm
going to put you on lead" He
held up his cord. Zone end-this
end will be fastened about your
waist: and the other about my cous-
ms most excellent neck. You see?
I have made a slip-knot the
knot that they hang people with.
So. that any irregular movement
which you may see fit to make will
put to inconvenience your, er,
hearts desire. In fact, if I were
you, should emulate Mary's lamb.
Not that it matters-if you like to
choke her yourself. But I've really
made other arrangements shade
less exacting, think. But I'll
leave it to you to judge"
With that, he stepped across me
and set the loop he had made about
Elizabeth's neck. Before my horri-
fed eyes, he drew this tight-not
tight enough to choke her, but so
tight that the loop could not lie,
as a necklace does, but stayed
where he had put it against her
throat. Then he and Elgar, be-
tween them, got her on Cigars
back.
Somehow I got to my knees and
so to my feet, and without a word
he fastened the end Of the cord
about my waist.
I saw Elsa standing above, with
a dressing-case in her hand
Then Elgar began to 60 down, and
turned in behind him, weakened
for fear Of stumbling and coming
down and being unable to rise be-
cause my hands were tied.
Not that it mattered, perhaps. But
IL did not want to choke my dar-
ling myself.
AS we went down to the terrace,
I reflected on the truth of what Vir-
gil had said-The way to win this
world is to 60 all lengths. The man
was right. 1t was manifestly sim
pier and swifter: direct action al
ways is. But it was safer, too-be-
cause it was the way Of monster,
and we believe in monsters no more
than we do in giants.
Virgil was playing the monster:
and that, as calmly as though he
were but playing bridge. In other
words, he was doing the incredible
thing. # I had not seen and heard
what saw and heard that night,
would not have believed the truth
though one rose from the dead. And
so no one else would believe it
that Elizabeth Virgil and Exon had
been hailed out of the castle and
put to death by a man who, six
hours later, was taking his early
tea with a cigarette.
I cannot clearly remember our
leaving the staircase turret and
passing into the air, for the cord
was none too long and could think
Of nothing but keeping it slack, but
know that the moon was not up,
that Virgil was moving behind me,
that Elgar turned to the right and
stepped out for the entrance-drive.
Perhaps ten minutes went by-it
may have been less, but / know we
had passed the point from which
Herrick and / had surveyed the cas-
tie at dawn, when / saw in the shad-
ows ahead the shape of a car.
This was open and low-it proved
to be Virgil's own car ''now under
repair Elgar discharged his
burden directly over its side. It
will be understood that I did not
have to be told to enter myself, and
an instant later was upon the back
seat, with Elizabeth Virgil beside
me, so far as / could hear, drawing
regular breath.
suddenly realized that ! was
streaming with sweat
The dressing-case was set at our
feet and Virgil and Elgar got in.
For q moment the self-starter
whirred 80. Then all was silence
again, except for the purr of an en-
CINE in excellent trim. Virgil sat
hack Il, his eoaf oy,d LAT II, HE rlvrf-1,