Candy and her son brought no
reply. He turned the handle, but found that the door was locked.
It was not late, only about ten o'clock. Stephen Candy could not, of
course, be back yet from his work, and the woman was probably
drinking somewhere. But he must make sure that they still lived
here. Going down to the floor below, he knocked at the room occupied
by the Hope family, and Mrs. Hope, opening the door a few inches,
asked his business.
'Does Mrs. Candy still live upstairs?' he inquired in a feigned
voice, and standing back in the darkness.
'For all I know.'
And the door closed sharply. He had no choice but to wait and see if
either of his acquaintances returned. For a few minutes he sat on
the staircase, but as at any moment some one might stumble over him,
he went down to the backdoor, which was open, like that in front,
and passed out into the stone-paved yard. Here he seated himself on
the ground, leaning against a corner of the wall, He was suffering
much from his injury, but could at all events feel secure from the
hunters.
The stones were wet, and rain fell upon him. As he looked up at the
lighted windows in the back of the house, he thought of Pennyloaf,
who by this time most likely knew his danger.
Pages:
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656