“I wish I could believe it again, Doc,” he said, and they fell into a silence.
At half-past twelve he investigated the neighbourhood for signs of activity, but the whole place was peacefully asleep. The doctor partly roused Valerie when he picked her up, but she gazed at him with a mild surprise and closed her eyes again. He carried her out to the boat while Dane, using his flashlight, restored the composing-room to its ordinary arrangement. He carefully put the brown paper back where he had found it, collected all the amber pins, and put out the gas. But he forgot to raise the blinds. In the office he felt the hand of fate upon him again. The circle of light fell on his stick, which he had completely forgotten. Had the man who had come in recognized that stick? Then he saw Valerie’s coat and small bag on a hook. He cursed himself for the worst fool ever born as he gathered them up.
But he did feel considerable relief as he rowed the boat along to the hotel, reflecting as he looked at the doctor sitting with Valerie in his arms, that the sleepers in little towns don’t know any more than those in big ones what strange things may go on round them in the night.
V
A little after seven the next morning Doctor Steele slipped out of Bob’s room, where he had stayed to watch Valerie, and into hers, and gave her a strong injection of caffeine. Then he sat down on the bed beside her till she roused.
“Why, doctor!” She opened her eyes wider and wider, and rubbed them and started to raise herself.
“Lie still. There’s nothing the matter. Just get hold of yourself and think.”
