By tacit consent, they had adopted a plan of campaign. They all sat in the big drawing-room. Only one person left the room at a time. The other four waited till the fifth returned.
Lombard said:
"It's only a question of time. The weather will clear. Then we can do something - signal-light fires - make a raft - something!"
Armstrong said with a sudden cackle of laughter:
"A question of time - time? We can't afford time! We shall all be dead..."
Mr. Justice Wargrave said, and his small clear voice was heavy with passionate determination:
"Not if we are careful. We must be very careful..."
The mid-day meal had been duly eaten - but there had been no conventional formality about it. All five of them had gone to the kitchen. In the larder they had found a great store of tinned foods. They had opened a tin of tongue and two tins of fruit. They had eaten standing round the kitchen table. Then, herding close together, they had returned to the drawing-room - to sit there - sit - watching each other...
And by now the thoughts that ran through their brains were abnormal, feverish, diseased...
"It's Armstrong... I saw him looking at me sideways just then... his eyes are mad... quite mad... Perhaps he isn't a doctor at all... That's it, of course!... He's a lunatic, escaped from some doctor's house - pretending to be a doctor... It's true... shall I tell them?... Shall I scream out?... No, it won't do to put him on his guard... Besides he can seem so sane... What time is it?... Only a quarter past three!... Oh, God, I shall go mad myself... Yes, it's Armstrong... He's watching me now..."
"They won't get me! I can take care of myself... I've been in tight places before... Where the hell is that revolver?... Who took it?... Who's got it?... Nobody's got it - we know that. We were all searched... Nobody can have it... But some one knows where it is..."
"They're going mad... they're all go mad... Afraid of death... we're all afraid of death... I'm afraid of death... Yes, but that doesn't stop death coming... 'The hearse is at the door, sir.' Where did I read that? The girl... I'll watch the girl. Yes, I'll watch the girl..."
"Twenty to four... only twenty to four... perhaps the clock has stopped... I don't understand - no, I don't understand... This sort of thing can't happen... it is happening... Why don't we wake up? Wake up - Judgement Day - not that! If I could only think... My head - something's happening in my head - it's going to burst - it's going to split... This sort of thing can't happen... What's the time? Oh, God! it's only a quarter to four."
"I must keep my head... I must keep my head... If only I keep my head... It's all perfectly clear - all worked out. But nobody must suspect. It may do the trick. It must! Which one? That's the question - which one? I think - yes, I rather think - yes - him."
When the clock struck five they all jumped.
Vera said:
"Does any one - want tea?"
There was a moment's silence. Blore said:
"I'd like a cup."
Vera rose. She said:
"I'll go and make it. You can all stay here."
Mr. Justice Wargrave said gently:
"I think, my dear young lady, we would all prefer to come and watch you make it."
Vera stared, then gave a short rather hysterical laugh.
She said:
"Of course! You would!"
Five people went into the kitchen. Tea was made and drunk by Vera and Blore. The other three had whiskey - opening a fresh bottle and using a siphon from a nailed up case.
The judge murmured with a reptilian smile:
"We must be very careful..."
They went back again to the drawing-room. Although it was summer the room was dark. Lombard switched on the lights but they did not come on. He said:
"Of course! The engine's not been run today since Rogers hasn't been there to see to it."
He hesitated and said:
"We could go out and get it going, I suppose."
Mr. Justice Wargrave said:
"There are packets of candles in the larder, I saw them, better use those."
Lombard went out. The other four sat watching each other.
He came back with a box of candles and a pile of saucers. Five candles were lit and placed about the room.
The time was a quarter to six.
II
At twenty past six, Vera felt that to sit there longer was unbearable. She would go to her room and bathe her aching head and temples in cold water.
She got up and went towards the door. Then she remembered and came back and got a candle out of the box. She lighted it, let a little wax pour into a saucer and stuck the candle firmly to it. Then she went out of the room, shutting the door behind her and leaving the four men inside.
She went up the stairs and along the passage to her room.
As she opened her door, she suddenly halted and stood stock still.
Her nostrils quivered.
The sea... The smell of the sea at St. Tredennick...
That was it. She could not be mistaken. Of course one smelt the sea on an island anyway, but this was different. It was the smell there had been on the beach that day - with the tide out and the rocks covered with seaweed drying in the sun.
"Can I swim out to the island, Miss Claythorne?"
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