Itcomes-fillingtheemptyspaceatwhichhestareswithmovinglife-engine，baggagecarandalongstringofPullmans。Thenallisdarkagainandonlythenoiseofitsslackeningwheelscomestohimthroughthenight。Ithasstoppedatthestation。Aminutelongerandithasstartedagain，andthequicklylesseningrumbleofitsdepartureisallthatremainsofthisvisionofman’sactivityandceaselessexpectancy。Whenitisquitegoneandallisquiet，asighfallsfromtheman’slipsandhemoveson，butthistime，forsomeunexplainablereason，inthedirectionofthestation。Withloweredheadhepassesalong，notinglittletillhearriveswithinsightofthedepotwheresomefreightisbeinghandled，andatrunkortwowheeleddowntheplatform。Nosightcouldbemoreordinaryorunsuggestive，butithasitsattractionforhim，forhelooksupashegoesbyandfollowsthepassageofthattruckdowntheplatformtillithasreachedthecorneranddisappeared。Thenhesighsagainandagainmoveson。
Aclusterofhouses，oneofthemopenandlighted，wasallwhichlaybetweenhimnowandthecountryroad。Hewashurryingpast，forhisstephadunconsciouslyquickenedasheturnedhisbackuponthestation，whenhewasseizedagainbythatmoodofcuriosityandsteppeduptothedoorfromwhichalightissuedandlookedin。Acommoneating-roomlaybeforehim，withrudelyspreadtablesandoneverysleepywaitertakingordersfromanewarrivalwhosatwithhisbacktothedoor。Whydidthelonelymanonthesidewalkstartashiseyefellonthelatter’scommonplacefigure，ahungrymandemandingbreakfastinacheap，countryrestaurant?Hisownphysiquewaspowerfulwhilethatoftheotherlookedslimandfrail。Butfearwasintheair，andthebroodingofatempestaffectssometemperamentsinatotallyunexpectedmanner。Asthemaninsideturnsslightlyandlooksup，themasterfigureonthesidewalkvanishes，andhisstep，ifanyonehadbeeninterestedenoughtolisten，ringswithanewnoteasitturnsintothecountryroadithasatlastreached。
Butnooneheeded。Thenewarrivalmuncheshisrollandwaitsimpatientlyforhiscoffee，whilewithout，thecloudspilesoundlesslyinthesky，oneofthemtakingtheformofahugehandwithclutchingfingersreachingdownintothehollowvoidbeneath。
ATSIX
Mr。ChallonerhadbeenhonestinhisstatementregardingthedepartureofSweetwater。Hehadnotonlypaidanddismissedouryoungdetective，buthehadseenhimtakethetrainforNewYork。
AndSweetwaterhadgoneawayingoodfaith，too，possiblywithhisconvictionsundisturbed，butacknowledgingatlastthathehadreachedtheendofhisresources。Butthebraindoesnotlooseitsholduponitsworkasreadilyasthehanddoes。HewashalfwaytoNewYorkandhadconsciouslybiddenfarewelltothewholesubject，whenhesuddenlystartledthoseabouthimbyrisingimpetuouslytohisfeet。Hesatagainimmediately，butwithalightinhissmallgreyeyewhichMr。Grycewouldhaveunderstoodandrevelledin。Theideaforwhichhehadsearchedindustriouslyformonthshadcomeatlast，unbidden；thrownupfromsomeremoterecessofthemindwhichhadseeminglycloseduponthesubjectforever。
Ihaveit。Ihaveit，”hemurmuredinceaselessreiterationtohimself。”IwillgobacktoMr。Challonerandlethimdecideiftheideaisworthpursuing。Perhapsanexperimentmaybenecessary。
Itwasbittercoldthatnight；Iwishitwereicyweathernow。Butachemistcanhelpusout。GoodGod！ifthisshouldbetheexplanationofthemystery，alasforOrlandoandalasforOswald！
Buthissympathiesdidnotdeterhim。HereturnedtoDerbyatonce，andassoonashedared，presentedhimselfatthehotelandaskedforMr。Challoner。
Hewasamazedtofindthatgentlemanalreadyupandinastateofagitationthatwasverydisquieting。Buthebrightenedwonderfullyatsightofhisvisitor，anddrawinghiminsidetheroom，observedwithtremblingeagerness：”Idonotknowwhyyouhavecomeback，butneverwasmanmorewelcome。Mr。Brothersonhasconfessed。”
Confessed！””Yes，hekilledbothwomen；mydaughterandhisneighbour，thewasherwoman，witha-””Wait，”brokeinSweetwater，eagerly，”letmetellyou。”Andstooping，hewhisperedsomethingintheother’sear。
Mr。Challonerstaredathimamazed，thenslowlynoddedhishead。”Howcameyoutothink-”hebegan；butSweetwaterinhisgreatanxietyinterruptedhimwithaquick：”Explanationswillkeep，Mr。Challoner。Whatofthemanhimself?
Whereishe?That’stheimportantthingnow。””Hewasinhisroomtillearlythismorningwritingletters，butheisnottherenow。ThedoorisunlockedandIwentin。FromappearancesIfeartheworst。Thatiswhyyourpresencerelievesmeso。Wheredoyouthinkheis?””Inhishangarinthewoods。Whereelsewouldhegoto-””Ihavethoughtofthat。Shallwestartoutaloneortakewitnesseswithus?””Wewillgoalone。DoesOswaldanticipate-””Heissure。Buthelacksstrengthtomove。Heliesonmybedinthere。Dorisandherfatherarewithhim。””Wewillnotwaitaminute。Howthestormholdsoff。Ihopeitwillholdoffforanotherhour。”
Mr。Challonermadenoreply。Hehadspokenbecausehefeltcompelledtospeak，butithadnotbeeneasyforhim，norcouldanytriflesmovehimnow。
Thetownwasupbythistimeand，thoughtheychosetheleastfrequentedstreets，theyhadtosufferfromsomeencounters。Itwasagoodhalfhourbeforetheyfoundthemselvesintheforestandinsightofthehangar。Onelookthatway，andSweetwaterturnedtoseewhattheeffectwasuponMr。Challoner。
Amurmurofdismaygreetedhim。Theovalofthatgreatlidstoodupagainsttheforestbackground。”Hehasescaped，”criedMr。Challoner。
ButSweetwater，layingafingeronhislip，advancedandlaidhisearagainstthedoor。Thenhecastaquicklookaloft。Nothingwastobeseenthere。Thedarknessofstormintheheavensbutnothingmore-Yes！now，aflashofvividanddestructivelightning！
Thetwomendrewbackandtheirglancescrossed。”Letusreturntothehighroad，”whisperedSweetwater；”wecanseenothinghere。”
Mr。Challoner，tremblingverymuch，wheeledslowlyabout。”Wait，”enjoinedSweetwater。”Firstletmetakealookinside。”
Runningtothenearesttree，hequicklyclimbedit，workedhimselfalongaprotrudingbranchandlookeddownintotheopenhangar。Itwasnowsodarkthatdetailsescapedhim，butonethingwascertain。
Theair-shipwasnotthere。
Descending，hedrewMr。Challonerhastilyalong。”He’sgone，”saidhe。”Letusreachthehighgroundasquicklyaswecan。I’mgladthatMr。OswaldBrothersonisnotwithusor-orMissDoris。”
Butthisexpressionofsatisfactiondiedonhislips。Atthepointwheretheforestroaddebouchesintothehighway，hehadalreadycaughtaglimpseoftheirtwofigures。Theywerewaitingfornews，andthebrotherspokeuptheinstanthesawSweetwater：”Whereishe?You’venotfoundhimoryouwouldn’tbecomingalone。
Hecannothavegoneup。Hecannotmanageitwithoutanassistant。
Wemustseekhimsomewhereelse；intheforestorinourhouseathome。Ah！”Thelightninghadforkedagain。”He’snotintheforestandhe’snotinyourhome，”returnedSweetwater。”He’saloft；theair-shipisnotintheshed。Andhecangoupalonenow。”Thenmoreslowly：”Buthecannotcomedown。”
Theystrainedtheireyesinamaddeningsearchoftheheavens。Butthedarknesshadsoincreasedthattheycouldbesureofnothing。
Dorissankuponherknees。
Suddenlythelightningflashedagain，thistimesovividlyandsonearthatthewholeheavenburstintofieryilluminationabovethemandthethunder，crashingalmostsimultaneously，seemedforamomenttorocktheworldandbowtheheavenstowardsthem。Thenasilence；
thenSweetwater’swhisperinMr。Challoner’sear：”Takethemaway！Isawhim；hewasfallinglikeashot。”
Mr。Challonerthrewouthisarms，thensteadiedhimself。Oswaldwasreeling；Oswaldhadseentoo。ButDoriswasthere。Whenthelightningflashedagain，shewasstandingandOswaldwasweepingonherbosom。
End