ER XI

THE SILENT BELL

He stood looking at her with earnest thoughtful eyes. Suddenly the
woman-soul within her awoke in a surging, inexplicable wave of
emotion which almost overcame her; and after it came something of
realization of the great fight he was making for her--for her, and
the aged, feeble grandfather waiting patiently out there. He loved
her, this master among men, and she sighed contentedly. For the
moment the maddening anxiety that brought her here was forgotten;
there was only the ineffable sweetness of seeing him again. She
extended her hands to him impulsively, and he kissed them both.

"The difficulty of you leaving here," he went on after a little, "is
that you would be followed, and within two hours these men would know
all about you--where you are stopping, how long you have been there;
they would know of your daily telephone messages to your grandfather,
and then, inevitably, they would appear out there, and learn all the
rest of it. It doesn't matter how closely they keep watch of me. My
plans are all made, I know I am watched, and make no mistakes. But
you!"

"So I should not have come?" she questioned. "I'm sorry."

"I understand your anxiety, of course," he assured her, and he was
smiling a little, "but the worst never happens--so for the present
we will not worry. In an hour or more, now, I imagine we shall
receive a pigeon-o-gram which will show that all is well. And then I
shall have to plan for you to get away somehow."

She leaned toward him a little and again he gathered her in his arms.
The red lips were mutely raised, and he kissed her reverently.

"It's all for you and it will all be right," he assured her.

"Gene, dear Gene!"

He pressed a button on the wall and a maid appeared.

"You will have to wait for a couple of hours or so, at least, so if
you would like to take off your things?" he suggested with grave
courtesy. "I dare say the suite just above is habitable, and the
maid is at your service."

The girl regarded him pensively for a moment, then turning ran
swiftly up the stairs. The maid started to follow more staidly.

"Just a moment," said Mr. Wynne crisply, in an undertone. "Miss
Kellner is not to be allowed to use the telephone under any
circumstances. You understand?" She nodded silently and went up the
stairs.

An hour passed. From the swivel chair at his desk Mr. Wynne had
twice seen Sutton stroll past on the opposite side of the street;