Whatever the cost, he must fulfil the task that had been
laid upon him.
With intense reluctance he uncovered his face, flinching from the stark
glare of the lamp across the road, and dragged himself to his feet. It
was difficult to move without noise, but he made elaborate efforts to do
so. He reached the head of the stairs and hung there listening.
Had he heard a movement below he would have stumbled headlong back to
cover, but no sound of any sort reached him. The compelling force urged
him afresh. He gripped the stair-rail and crept downward like a
stealthy baboon.
The stairs creaked alarmingly. More than once he paused, prepared for
precipitate retreat, but still he heard no sound, and gradually a certain
desperate hope came to him. Perhaps Dicky was asleep! Perhaps the power
that drove him would be satisfied if he collected some things on a tray
and left them in the little hall for Dicky to find when he finally came
up! If this could be done--and he could get back safe to the sheltering
darkness before he found out! He would not mind the subsequent caning, if
only he need not meet Dicky face to face again beforehand. Dicky's eyes
when they looked at him sternly were anguish to his soul.
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