Finding he still
held the hand she had extended when urging him to follow her, he
squeezed it.
"You're--you're fine," he said, enthusiastically.
Rafaela tossed her head, smiling in superior fashion.
"You are not a very accomplished courtier, Mr. Jack Hampton," she
said, withdrawing her hand.
Jack would have protested. He was rapidly falling under the spell of
her charm. But she halted him with an imperious gesture.
"We are wasting precious time," she said. "Come." Then, turning to
Donna Ana, she said sharply: "You will stay here until I return. And
if you betray me--" Again she made a threatening gesture, and again
the old duenna cowered. Thereupon, the girl hastened from the room and
Jack followed.
Up the spiral stone stairway of the tower ran Rafaela, passing the
first landing where burned an electric light. Jack was close at her
heels. At length they reached the top landing, and stood before the
single door there. It was of stout oak, heavy and ponderous.
"This is your father's room," whispered Rafaela.
So near to a successful conclusion of his adventure, Jack's heart beat
so rapidly that once again he experienced that sensation of
suffocation which had seized him on landing from the airplane.
Pages:
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194