Page:The Whisper on the Stair by Lyon Mearson (1924).djvu/293

 Peculiar, isn’t it?” smiled Val. “Sorry if my presence here seems to upset any of your plans; but of course you can make others, can’t you? That’s one of the best things you do.”

“Oh, one can always change one’s plans, you know,” assented Teck carelessly.

“Well, if it’s all the same to you, Iggy, you can change yours right now,” said Val, still smiling as pleasantly as Teck himself. There was an undercurrent of menace in his tone, however, that Teck caught and read aright.

He glanced straight into Val’s eyes before answering, hesitating a moment, picking his words, evidently.

“Do you propose to do the changing?” he asked innocently, but his tone was flinty.

“I do,” announced Val. “I propose to change your plans so much that you’ll wish you never had seen me⸺”

“If you must know, my friend, I wish that now,” put in the big man.

“Well, then, if I’m your friend, you’d better take the advice of a friend and get out right now,” said Val dangerously.

“Surely you’re not afraid of me,” mocked Teck. “Why, what harm can I, a poor creature without⸺”

“Never mind that stuff,” broke in Val rudely. “I’ve heard it before, and it won’t get you anywhere with me.” Teck turned to Jessica once more.

“Will you come with me, Jessica?” he asked politely.

And then an amazing thing happened. Jessica raised her eyes and looked directly into his. It was not a quick, frightened glance. It was a long, full, deep glance, as though to assure herself that the menace and fascination those eyes had held for her