They had only one servant. Alice took the girl into her confidence,
said she was going to play a trick, and it must not be spoilt. By
ten o'clock at night she was dressed for going out, and when she
heard her husband's latch-key at the front door she slipped out at
the back. It was her plan to walk about the roads for half an hour,
then to enter and--make the best of the situation.
Rodman, unable to find his wife, summoned the servant.
'Where is your mistress?'
'Out, sir.'
He examined the girl shrewdly, with his eyes and with words. It was
perfectly true that women--of a kind--could not resist him. In the
end he discovered exactly what had happened. He laughed his wonted
laugh of cynical merriment.
'Go to bed,' he said to the servant. 'And if you hear anyone at the
door, pay no attention.'
Then he locked up the house, front and back, and, having
extinguished all lights except a small lantern by which he could
read in the sitting-room without danger of its being discerned from
outside, sat down with a sense of amusement. Presently there came a
ring at the bell; it was repeated again and again. The month was
October, the night decidedly cool. Rodman chuckled to himself; he
had a steaming glass of whisky before him and sipped it delicately.
The ringing continued for a quarter of an hour, then five minutes
passed, and no sound came.
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