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Mother Borton clutched it, held it up to the candle, and studied it for two or three minutes. "Where did you get it?" I described the circumstances in which it had come into my possession, and repeated the essentials of Corson's story. Mother Borton's sharp, evil face was impassive during my recital. When it was done she muttered: "Gimme a fool for luck."
We hastened forward, but at the next corner a passing hack stood ready for passengers, and we rolled down the street, the horses' hoofs outstripped by my anxiety and apprehensions. One of the men was sent to bring out such of my force as had returned, and I, with the two others, hurried on to Borton's. There was none of the sounds of riot I had expected to hear as we drew up before it.
"It's quite an agreeable surprise to see you," I ventured as cheerfully as I could, as she made no move to speak. My followers looked awkward and uncomfortable. At the sound of my voice, Mother Borton's bent brows relaxed a little. "If you'd send these fellows out, I reckon we could talk a bit better," she said sourly. "Certainly. Just wait in the hall, boys; and close the door."
Here you are. I put the hack's lights out just to escape unpleasant remark. We had better be moving, for it's a stiffish drive of six or seven miles. If you'll get in, I'll keep the seat with the driver and tell him the way to go." Mrs. Knapp entered the carriage, and called to me to follow her. I remembered Mother Borton's warnings and my doubts of Dicky Nahl.
Heedless of Mother Borton's warning I left the candle to burn to the socket, and watched the flickering shadows chase each other over walls and ceiling. The shadows grew larger and blacker, and took fantastic shapes of men and beasts.
"Trent got a bad cut in the side. One of the Terrill gang was shot. I heard it was only through the arm or leg, I forget which." I was consumed with the desire to ask what had become of Borton's, but I suspected that I was supposed to know, and prudently kept the question to myself. "Well, come along," said I. "The room will do well enough now.
And then I went on to give a carefully amended account of my first night's row at Borton's, and with an occasional question, Mrs. Knapp had soon extorted from me a fairly full account of my doings. "It is dreadful for you to expose yourself to such dangers." I was privately of her opinion. "Oh, that's nothing," said I airily.
Rejoining Corson, I explained Mother Borton's theory of the plot that had brought me thither. "She's like to be right," said the policeman. "She knows the gang. Now, if you'll take my advice, you'll let the rats have your room for this night, and come along up to some foine hotel."
This was the man I had sworn to bring to the gallows for a brutal crime. And now I was his trusted agent, with control, however limited, of millions. It was a puzzle too deep for me. I was near coming to Mother Borton's view that there was something uncanny about Doddridge Knapp. Did two spirits animate that body?
But where was the "right boy"? I had for a moment a sinking feeling of terror in the thought that the enemy had captured him. Mother Borton's warning that they had found his place of hiding returned to confirm this thought.
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