"I am not thinking of Miss Hazen," said he. "I'm wondering how far the
proof he has obtained will go." He paused, listening, then made a gesture
towards the hall. "There's some one there," he whispered.
Ransom rose, and with a quick turn of the wrist pulled open the door.
A man was standing on the threshold, a ghastly figure before which Ransom
involuntarily stepped back.
"Hazen!" he cried; then, as the other tottered, he sprang forward again
and, reaching out his hand to steady him, drew him in with the remark,
"We were expecting a summons from you. We are happy that you find
yourself able to come to us."
"The coroner has just gone. The doctors I dismissed. I have something to
say to you--to both of you," he added as he caught sight of Mr. Harper.
Entering slowly, he sat down in the chair proffered him by the lawyer.
There was something strange in his air, a quiet automaton-like quality
which attracted the latter's notice and led him to watch him very
closely. Ransom was busy with the door, which the strong west wind
blowing through the hall made difficult to close.
"I--" The one word uttered, Hazen seemed to forget himself. Sitting quite
still, he gazed straight before him at the open window. There was little
to be seen there but the swaying boughs of the huge tree, but his gaze
never left those tossing limbs, and his sentence hung suspended till the
movement made by Ransom recrossing the room roused him, and he went on.
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