[Gutenberg 32881] • Blind Policy

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This is an OCR edition with typos.

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CHAPTER III TWO HUNDRED GUINEAS Chester took a couple of steps to his right, for there was a faint sound in the pitchy darkness which he interpreted to mean the advance of an enemy. Then in the perturbation of spirit and nervousness of the moment, he moved a step or two cautiously in what he believed to be the direction of the other door, and stopped short, half-dazed by the feeling of confusion which comes upon one in a dense fog. " Who did that? " said the voice he recognised. "You, Marion, of course. Here, you go to your room." There was no reply. " Do you hear me ? It is no time for fooling now." " Yes, I hear you, but I will not leave his side. You cowards ! do you want to kill me too ?" " Hold your tongue. DiPaddyall of you, get hold of the mad fool before worse comes of it." There was a faint cry, a panting and scuffling, the word " Help ! " blurred and stifled as if a hand had been suddenly clapped over the speaker's lips, and Chester mentally saw his beautiful companionof the brougham struggling violently as she was being half carried from the room. Stirred by excitement to the deepest depths, Chester rushed to her help, and was brought up sharp by the dining table, while the scuffling continued upon the other side. He felt his way along the edge, to pass round it in the darkness, but the noise he made betrayed his whereabouts, and his next step took him into the grasp of a pair of strong hands, which held him firmly, and before he could free himself, there was the sound of a door opening, a faint light showed for a moment, and before it was shut off he dimly saw the actors in the struggle ; then the door was closed, and the voice of him addressed as Jem said sharply, " Light up, Paddy." A glass was knocked from the table ; someone s...