He saw
nothing but a blur around him. Then the blood ebbed away in quick
waves, till his very heart seemed drained and empty, and he stood
nervelessly, helplessly, dumbly watching the child, bearing its
accursed burden with slow, relentless steps nearer and nearer to
the group that waited sheep-like to receive him. A fascinated
curiosity compelled Lester to turn his head towards the fugitives;
the cab had started at hot pace in the direction of the station.
The next moment Lester was running, running faster than any of
those present had ever seen a man run, and--he was not running
away. For that stray fraction of his life some unwonted impulse
beset him, some hint of the stock he came from, and he ran
unflinchingly towards danger. He stooped and clutched at the
Easter egg as one tries to scoop up the ball in Rugby football.
What he meant to do with it he had not considered, the thing was
to get it. But the child had been promised cakes and sweetmeats
if it safely gave the egg into the hands of the kindly old
gentleman; it uttered no scream, but it held to its charge with
limpet grip. Lester sank to his knees, tugging savagely at the
tightly clasped burden, and angry cries rose from the scandalized
onlookers.
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