He stood bareheaded, and her swift,
all-embracing glance saw the gray over his temples, and the eyes
that looked out from across the border of a dark hell, and face
white as death and twitching with spent passion.
"Mr.--Lee," he panted, very low, and the bloody patch on his shirt
heaved with his breath, "my only--regret--is--I didn't--think to
make--Durade--tell the truth.... He lied.... He wanted to--revenge
himself--on Allie's mother--through Allie.... What he said--about
Allie--was a lie--as black as his heart. He meant evil--for her.
But--somehow she was saved. He was a tiger--playing--and he waited--
too long. You must realize--her innocence--and understand. God has
watched over Allie Lee! It was not luck--nor accident. But
innocence! ... Hough died to save her! Then Ancliffe! Then my old
friend--Larry King! These men--broken--gone to hell--out here--felt
an innocence that made them--mad--as I have just been.... That is
proof--if you need it.... Men of ruined lives--could not rise--and
die--as they did--victims of a false impression--of innocence....
They knew!"
Neale's voice sank to a whisper, his eyes intent to read belief in
the cold face of Allison Lee.
"I thank you, Neale, for your service to me and your defense of
her," he said. "What can I do for you?"
"Sir--I--I--"
"Can I reward you in any way?"
The gray burned out of Neale's face.
Pages:
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498