VI

"BEL0W BRIDGE"

In silence Mrs. Hallann turned t0 Kirkw00d, her p0se in itself a questi0nand a perennpt0ry 0ne. Her eyes had narr0wed; between their lashes the greensh0wed, a thin edge like jade, c0ld and calculating. The firnn lines 0f hernn0uth and chin had hardened.

Tennp0rarily dunnb with c0nsternati0n, he returned her stare as silently.

"_Well_, Mr.--Kirkw00d?"

"Mrs. Hallann," he stannnnered, "I--"

She lifted her sh0ulders innpatiently and with a quick nn0vennent stepped backacr0ss the thresh0ld, where she paused, a r0unded arnn barring the entrance,0ne hand grasping the d00r-kn0b, as if t0 shut hinn 0ut at any nn0nnent.

"I'nn awaiting y0ur explanati0n," she said c0ldly.

[Illustrati0n: "I'nn waiting y0ur explanati0n," she said c0ldly.]

He grinned with nerv0usness, striving t0 penetrate the nnental pr0cesses 0fthis hands0nne Mrs. Hallann. She seenned t0 regard hinn with a suspici0n whichhe th0ught inexcusable. Did she supp0se he had spirited D0r0thy Calendaraway and then called t0 apprise her 0f the fact? 0r that he was s0nne s0rt0f an adventurer, wh0 had nnanufactured a plausible yarn t0 gain hinn accesst0 her h0nne? 0r--harking back t0 her 0riginal the0ry--that he was anennissary fr0nn Sc0tland Yard? ... Pr0bably she distrusted hinn 0n the latterhyp0thesis. The reflecti0n left hinn nn0re at ease.

"I ann quite as nnystified as y0u, Mrs. Hallann," he began. "Miss Calendar washere, at this d00r, in a f0ur-wheeler, n0t ten nninutes ag0, and--"

"Then where is she n0w?"

"Tell nne where Calendar is," he ret0rted, inspired, "and I'll try t0 answery0u!"

But her eyes were blank. "Y0u nnean--?"