A taxicab drew up before the canopy. He knew it was a taxicab because

he could hear the sound of the panting engine. The curb-end of the

canopy was curtained by the abominable fog. Mistily a forlorn figure

emerged. The doorman started leisurely toward this figure. Killigrew

pushed him aside violently. Molly, with her hat gone, her hair awry,

her dress torn, her gloves ragged, her eyes puffed! He sprang toward

her, filled with Berserker rage. Who had dared.

"Give the man five pounds," she whispered. "I promised it."

"Five. . . ."

"Give it to him! Good heavens, do I look as if I were joking? Pay

him, pay him!"

Killigrew counted out five sovereigns, perhaps six, he was not sure.

The chauffeur swooped them up, and set off.

"Molly Killigrew. . . ."

"Not a word till I get to the rooms. Hurry! Daniel, if you say

anything I shall fall down!"

He led her to the lift. Curious glances followed, but these signified

nothing. On a night such as this was there would be any number of

accidents. Once in the living-room of the luxurious suite, Mrs.

Killigrew staggered over to the divan and tumbled down upon it. She

began to cry hysterically.

"Molly, old girl! Molly!" He put his arm tenderly across her heaving

shoulders and kneeled. His old girl! Love crowded out all other

thoughts. Money-mad he might be, but he never forgot that Molly had

once fried his meat and peeled his potatoes and darned his socks.

"Molly, what has happened? Who did this? Tell me, and I'll kill him!"

"Dan, when they started up the street for the prime minister's house, I

could not get out of the crowd. I was afraid to. It was so foggy you

had to follow the torches. I did not know what they were about till

the police rushed us. One grabbed me, but I got away." All this

between sobs. "Dan, I don't want to be a suffragette." Sob. "I don't

want to vote." Sob.

And for the first time that night Killigrew smiled.

"Where's Kitty?"

He started to his feet. "She hasn't got back from the opera yet.

She'll be the death of me, one of these fine days. You know her. Like

as not she's stepped out of her cab to see what's going on, and has

lost herself."

"But the Crawfords were with her."

"Would that make any difference with Kitty if she wanted to get out? I

told her not to wear any jewels, but she wouldn't mind me. She never

does. I haven't any authority except in my offices. You and

Kitty. . . ."




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024