"
It was evident she was far too confused and upset to give any useful
information of any nature, even if she knew anything.
"Deede's been so strange," she said. "And Ella too. I think it's
very hard on me--dreams, too. He said he wanted her to help him
get a packing-case ready he had to send away somewhere. I don't
know where. I don't think Ella wanted to--"
"A packing-case?" Rupert muttered. "What for?"
"It's what they came upstairs to do," Mrs. Dawson said. "And--and
--" She began to cry feebly. "It's my nerves," she said. "He's
looked so strange at us all day--and neither of them has come down
again."
CHAPTER XXIX
THE ATTIC
It was evident that more had occurred to make Mrs. Dawson afraid
that she would, or perhaps could, say.
"Wait here," Rupert said to her. "Don't stir." The command seemed
superfluous, for she had not at that moment the appearance of still
possessing the power to move. Without speaking again, Rupert left
the room and went quickly to the foot of the narrow stairs that led
to the attics above.
He listened, crouching there, and heard nothing, and a cold fear
came to him that perhaps Deede Dawson had done up above what he
wished to do and then effected his escape while he himself had been
lingering in Ella's room.
Adopting his plan of a rapid rush to disconcert the aim of any one
who might be about to fire at him, he made a swift dash up the
stairs and on the topmost one crouched down again and waited.
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