Page:Harold Titus--Timber.djvu/162

154 rage it struck into the road which led out of the forest.

John turned slowly toward the doorway in which Helen had appeared. She was gone, the door closed. He stared blankly at it.

"Fooled!" he muttered. "So—I was the dupe! It wasn't the man—but what he could give!" He put a hand over his eyes and laughed weakly. "And I humbled myself—I crawled on my belly—but, by God!" hand dropping from his eyes, "I went through with it! I didn't hedge!"

He stared again at the closed door through which Helen had come to see and hear and through which she had gone again. He stepped forward, a half dozen quick strides.

"Helen!" he cried—"Helen!"—and stopped and waited. No reply, and he breathed again. "No—not now," he said. "Lord, no! Not now—not the chance of another mistake!"