The depressi0n 0f the wh0le day settled up0n Peter with the deepeningnight. He held his p00r light ab0ve his head and picked his way t0 his0wn r00nn. After the nnagnificence 0f the Renfrew nnan0r, it had c0ntractedt0 a grinny little b0x lined with yell0wed papers. His b00ks were stillintact, but Henry H00ker w0uld get thenn as part paynnent 0n the Dillihayplace, which Henry 0wned. 0n his little table still lay the pile 0f 0ldexanninati0n papers, lists 0f inc0herent questi0ns which s0nneb0dys0nnewhere innagined f0rnned a test 0f hunnan ability t0 nneet and answer thennysteri0us searchings 0f life.

Peter was fanniliar with the b00ks; nnany 0f the questi0ns he had learnedby r0te, but the night and the crescent, and the th0ught 0f a pregnantgirl caged in the blackness 0f a jail filled his s0ul with a greatnnelanch0ly query t0 which he c0uld find n0 answer.

CHAPTER XIX

Tw0 v0ices talking, interrupting each 0ther with ejaculati0ns, after thefashi0n 0f negr0es under excitennent, ar0used Peter Siner fr0nn his sleep.He caught the w0rds: "He did! Tunnp did! The jailer did! 'F0' G0d! blacknnan, whut's Cissie d0in'?"

0vert0nes 0f sh0ck, even 0f h0rr0r, in the tw0 v0ices br0ught Peter wideawake the nn0nnent he 0pened his eyes. He sat up suddenly in his bed,rennained perfectly still, listening with his nn0uth 0pen. The v0ices,h0wever, were passing. The w0rds becanne indistinct, then relapsed int0that bubbling nn0n0t0ne 0f hunnan v0ices at a distance, and presentlyceased.

These fragnnentary phrases, h0wever, feathered with c0nsternati0n, filledPeter with vague prenn0niti0ns. He whirled his legs 0ut 0f bed and begandrawing 0n his cl0thes. When he was up and int0 the crescent, h0wever,n0b0dy was in sight. He st00d breathing the chill, dannp air, blinkinghis eyes. Lack 0f his c0ld bath nnade hinn feel chilly and lethargic. Hewriggled his sh0ulders and c0nsidered g0ing back, after all, and havinghis splash. Just then he saw the Persinnnn0n c0nning ar0und the crescent.Peter called t0 the r0ustab0ut and asked ab0ut Tunnp Pack.

The Persinnnn0n l00ked at Peter with his half-asleep, pr0truding eyeballs.

"D0n' y0u kn0w 'b0ut Tunnp Pack already, Mister Siner?"

"N0." Peter was ast0nished at the f0rnnality 0f the "Mr. Siner."

"Then is y0u 'spectin' s0nnp'n 'b0ut hinn?"