United States or Guam ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
At that moment it seemed to him, absurdly enough, that the weight of the giant pile rested upon his back, was crushing him, pressing the life out from his body as he lay there prone, with his eyes fixed upon the rubber soles of Dr. Cairn's shoes, directly in front of him. But softly came a reply: "Do not speak again! Proceed as quietly as possible, and pray heaven we are not expected!"
Charitable travellers frequently left benefactions towards the little one's clothing and keep. Bough willingly took charge of the money. The child strayed here, there, and everywhere. It was often lost, but nobody looked for it, and it always came back. It liked to climb the cairn of boulders, or to sit on the long, low hillock at the cairn's foot.
It was evident that Cairn's mind persistently ran along a particular groove; something lay back of all this erratic talk; he had clearly invested the Mask of Set with a curious individuality. "I gather that you had a stiff bout of it in London?" Sime said suddenly. Cairn nodded. "Beastly stiff. There is a lot of sound reason in your nervous theory, Sime.
Cairn's voice rose barely above a whisper. With fingers quivering, Robert Cairn managed to light a third match. His father, from a second tub, tore out a smaller plant and ground its soft tentacles beneath his feet. The place smelt like an operating theatre. The doctor swayed dizzily as the third match became extinguished, clutching at his son for support. "Her life was in it, boy!" he whispered.
Cairn's face was very stern "I will trouble you no further." He prepared to depart; when "Dr. Cairn!" whispered Lady Lashmore, tremulously, "some dreadful thing, something that I cannot comprehend but that I fear and loathe with all my soul, has come to me. Oh for pity's sake, give me a word of hope! Save for you, I am alone with a horror I cannot name. Tell me " At the door, he turned.
Cairn's weakness left him, and in its place came an indescribable anger, a longing to drive his fist into that grinning mask. He turned and ran lightly down the stairs, conscious of a sudden glow of energy. Reaching the floor, he saw the mask making across the hall, in the direction of the outer door.
Cairn's library, the doctor regarded him with that searching scrutiny peculiar to men of his profession, at the same time inviting the visitor to be seated. Lashmore sat down in the red leathern armchair, resting his large hands upon his knees, with the fingers widely spread. He had a massive dignity, but was not entirely at his ease. Dr. Cairn opened the conversation, in his direct fashion.
"She was a Pole?" "A Polish Jewess." "There was no issue of the marriage, but the Baron outlived her and married again?" Lord Lashmore shifted his feet nervously, and gnawed his finger-nails. "There was issue of the marriage," he snapped. "She was my ancestress." "Ah!" Dr. Cairn's grey eyes lighted up momentarily. "We get to the facts! Why was this birth kept secret?"
A longing swept into Cairn's heart and set it ablaze; a longing to take all her sorrows, all her cares, upon his own broad shoulders, to take her and hold her, shielded from whatever of trouble or menace the future might bring.
Cairn's face was very stern and Sime, with his hands locked behind him, stood staring out of the window into the palmy garden of the hotel. Robert Cairn looked from one to the other excitedly. "What did he say, sir?" he cried, addressing his father. "It had something to do with " Dr. Cairn turned. Sime did not move.
Word Of The Day