“Then—I heard something, a sort of sound like a footstep—I don’t know exactly what it was. But it seemed to come from there near the door of the wing. It flashed through my mind that someone was prowling about St. Ann’s and, all at once, I remembered about the radium being used, though I didn’t actually think that anyone was stealing it. Anyway, I felt my way through the dark, past the porch of the wing. I went very cautiously and stopped when I heard, just on the other side of that big elderberry bush, two parties talking.” He stopped and used the bandana again, and inwardly I cursed that ambiguous word of his class: “party.”
“Go on,” I said impatiently. “Who were they?”
“I heard a little of what they said,” he continued, impervious to my eagerness. “I’ll tell you about that later. I must have made some sort of sound, for all at once they stopped talking and went away. I followed them but lost them in the darkness, and thinking from their talk that they would be coming back to the hospital, I felt my way back again, too. I was just in time to see a little light through the window of Eighteen. It was the light of a match and by it I saw the face of the party that”—he was whispering—“that killed Jackson. I saw the radium being hid. Yes, miss, and I know where the radium is right now.”
I think I seized him by the arm and shook it, for I remember he drew back.
“Tell me, quick, Higgins. Hurry. Who was it?”
“Not so fast, now, Miss Keate. I’ve got to tell my story in my own way. Miss Keate, there was three in Room 18 that night. Yes, ma’am, three.”
“Three? Who were they, Higgins? Didn’t the same man kill both Jackson and the doctor?”
He shook his head slowly and with the most exasperating stupidity.
“No, Miss Keate. No, that couldn’t hardly be.”
“Could hardly be! What on earth do you mean? Who was about that night? Whom did you see? Who was in Room 18? Speak up, man!”
I suppose I succeeded in confusing him.
“Wait, miss, till I finish my story. I was standing in the shadow, staring with all my eyes at that dark window waiting for the party I had seen to come out—when I just knew that someone was near me. I didn’t hear a footstep nor a breath but all at once somebody was just there. And I was holding my breath to listen when there was a sort of a scramble at the window and I sneaked up closer to the wall. I stumbled over a coat or something right at the window and just as I caught myself I heard a crash from inside Room 18. That scared me, Miss Keate.” The man paused again to scrutinize the dripping, green curtains about us, and I caught my breath.
“That scared me, so I stayed right there where I was, listening. I heard a kind of a scraping sound, then it was all quiet for a minute or two, and I thought I’d better get out of the way. I sneaked over to the corner and stood just around it. It was so black that I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, but I’ve got good hearing, ma’am, and I heard only one party slip out that window and close the screen and go away, walking light like a cat through the orchard. And it was just then the wind came up with a bang and things began to whiz around and I thought I’d better get back to my room. I knowed there was some skulduggery going on, ma’am, and I didn’t want to be in on it.” He blew his nose vigorously. I realized that my mouth was hanging open and closed it with a snap.
“Who was about, Higgins? Tell me at once.” I spoke very sternly, trying at the same time to keep my teeth from chattering. The recital had recalled all too forcibly to me the events of that black night.
“Well, there was Dr. Letheny—of course. Then there was that Gainsay fellow, the one that is staying up there at Letheny’s. Then there was Corole Letheny and there was Dr. Hajek—”
“Did you recognize all these people, Higgins?” I cried incredulously.
He regarded me with scorn.
“Say, didn’t I tell you I got good ears?”
“But you could hardly recognize Mr. Gainsay, for instance, with your ears.”
“I didn’t,” said Higgins. “I saw his face in the light of a match.”
“Go on,” I urged. “Who else? Who was it you saw in Eighteen? Where is the radium?”
Unfortunately I placed an impatient hand on his arm; he glanced down and saw my wrist watch.
“I’ve got to hurry,” he cried. “It’s nearly six and the fires not—”
“Wait!” I seized his coat sleeve. “Tell me. Who did it?”
He jerked away. “It’s late! I must hurry. I’ll see you tonight.” Eluding my grasp he scurried away and out of sight, around the little bend!
Slowly my hands dropped to my sides. For some time I simply stared in the direction he had taken and let my thoughts whirl.
What had he seen? What had he heard? Who … ?
It was curious how slowly I became aware that the green curtain within an arm’s reach was wavering. The slender leaves of willow were trembling, shivering, dancing. The elderberry swayed gently.
There was no wind.
I blinked—frowned—realized its oddity—and in sudden, quick suspicion I took a step forward, thrust the bushes aside with my arms, brushed back the willows, took a few steps along the water’s edge and saw Jim Gainsay vanishing into a little thicket of evergreens.
He did not look back. He seemed to have no idea that he had been seen. He wore no cap. I saw him clearly and unmistakably.
So Jim Gainsay had been behind that willow curtain! Jim Gainsay had heard Higgins’s faltering, reluctant revelations. And after brazenly
