The Gloved Hand | Page 6

Mrs. Hargis?"
"Yes, sir; and your breakfast's ready."
"Has Mr. Godfrey gone?"
"Yes, sir; he left about an hour ago. He was afraid his machine would
waken you."
"It didn't," I said, as I followed her back along the hall. "Nothing short
of an earthquake would have wakened me. Ah, this is fine!"
She had shown me into a pleasant room, where a little table was set
near an open window. It made quite a picture, with its white cloth and
shining dishes and plate of yellow butter, and bowl of crimson berries,
and--but I didn't linger to admire it. I don't know when I have enjoyed
breakfast so much. Mrs. Hargis, after bringing in the eggs and bacon
and setting a little pot of steaming coffee at my elbow, sensibly left me
alone to the enjoyment of it. Ever since that morning, I have realised
that, to start the day exactly right, a man should breakfast by himself,
amid just such surroundings, leisurely and without distraction. A copy
of the morning's Record was lying on the table, but I did not even open
it. I did not care what had happened in the world the day before!
At last, ineffably content, I stepped out upon the driveway at the side of
the house, and strolled away among the trees. At the end of a few
minutes, I came to the high stone wall which bounded the estate of the
mysterious Worthington Vaughan, and suddenly the wish came to me
to see what lay behind it. Without much difficulty, I found the tree with
the ladder against it, which we had mounted the night before. It was a
long ladder, even in the daytime, but at last I reached the top, and
settled myself on the limb against which it rested. Assuring myself that

the leaves hid me from any chance observer, I looked down into the
grounds beyond the wall.
There was not much to see. The grounds were extensive and had
evidently been laid out with care, but there was an air of neglect about
them, as though the attention they received was careless and inadequate.
The shrubbery was too dense, grass was invading the walks, here and
there a tree showed a dead limb or a broken one. Near the house was a
wide lawn, designed, perhaps, as a tennis-court or croquet-ground, with
rustic seats under the trees at the edge.
About the house itself was a screen of magnificent elms, which
doubtless gave the place its name, and which shut the house in
completely. All I could see of it was one corner of the roof. This,
however, stood out clear against the sky, and it was here, evidently, that
the mysterious midnight figures had been stationed. As I looked at it, I
realised the truth of Godfrey's remark that probably from no other point
of vantage but just this would they be visible.
It did not take me many minutes to exhaust the interest of this empty
prospect, more especially since my perch was anything but comfortable,
and I was just about to descend, when two white-robed figures
appeared at the edge of the open space near the house and walked
slowly across it. I settled back into my place with a tightening of
interest which made me forget its discomfort, for that these were the
two star-worshippers I did not doubt.
The distance was so great that their faces were the merest blurs; but I
could see that one leaned heavily upon the arm of the other, as much, or
so it seemed to me, for moral as for physical support. I could see, too,
that the hair of the feebler man was white, while that of his companion
was jet black. The younger man's face appeared so dark that I suspected
he wore a beard, and his figure was erect and vigorous, in the prime of
life, virile and full of power.
He certainly dominated the older man. I watched them attentively, as
they paced back and forth, and the dependence of the one upon the
other was very manifest. Both heads were bent as though in earnest talk,

and for perhaps half an hour they walked slowly up and down. Then, at
a sign of fatigue from the older figure, the other led him to a
garden-bench, where both sat down.
The elder man, I told myself, was no doubt Worthington Vaughan.
Small wonder he was considered queer if he dressed habitually in a
white robe and worshipped the stars at midnight! There was something
monkish about the habits which he and his companion wore, and the
thought flashed into my mind that perhaps they were members of some
religious order, or some Oriental cult or priesthood. And both of them,
I added to