Lombard and Vera reached it in a last scramble. They bent down.
A purple discoloured face - a hideous drowned face...
Lombard said:
"My God! It's Armstrong..."
Chapter 16
Aeons passed... worlds span and whirled... Time was motionless... It stood still - it passed through a thousand ages...
No, it was only a minute or so...
Two people were standing looking down on a dead man...
Slowly, very slowly, Vera Claythorne and Philip Lombard lifted their heads and looked into each other's eyes...
II
Lombard laughed.
He said:
"So that's it, is it, Vera?"
Vera said:
"There's no one on the island - no one at all - except us two..."
Her voice was a whisper - nothing more.
Lombard said:
"Precisely. So we know where we are, don't we?"
Vera said:
"How was it worked - that trick with the marble bear?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"A conjuring trick, my dear - a very good one..."
Their eyes met again.
Vera thought:
"Why did I never see his face properly before. A wolf - that's what it is - a wolf's face... Those horrible teeth..."
Lombard said, and his voice was a snarl - dangerous - menacing:
"This is the end, you understand. We've come to the truth now. And it's the end..."
Vera said quietly:
"I understand..."
She stared out to sea. General Macarthur had stared out to sea - when - only yesterday? Or was it the day before? He too had said, "This is the end..."
He had said it with acceptance - almost with welcome.
But to Vera the words - the thought - brought rebellion.
No, it should not be the end.
She looked down at the dead man. She said:
"Poor Dr. Armstrong..."
Lombard sneered.
He said:
"What's this? Womanly pity?"
Vera said:
"Why not? Haven't you any pity?"
He said:
"I've no pity for you. Don't expect it!"
Vera looked down again at the body. She said:
"We must move him. Carry him up to the house."
"To join the other victims, I suppose? All neat and tidy. As far as I'm concerned he can stay where he is."
Vera said:
"At any rate, let's get him out of reach of the sea."
Lombard laughed. He said:
"If you like."
He bent - tugging at the body. Vera leaned against him, helping him. She pulled and tugged with all her might.
Lombard panted:
"Not such an easy job."
They managed it, however, drawing the body clear of the high water mark.
Lombard said as he straightened up:
"Satisfied?"
Vera said:
"Quite."
Her tone warned him. He spun around. Even as he clapped his hand to his pocket he knew that he would find it empty.
She had moved a yard or two and was facing him, revolver in hand.
Lombard said:
"So that's the reason for your womanly solicitude! You wanted to pick my pocket."
She nodded.
She held it steadily and unwaveringly.
Death was very near to Philip Lombard now. It had never, he knew, been nearer.
Nevertheless he was not beaten yet.
He said authoritatively:
"Give that revolver to me."
Vera laughed.
Lombard said:
"Come on, hand it over."
His quick brain was working. Which way - which method - talk her over - lull her into security - or a swift dash -
All his life Lombard had taken the risky way. He took it now.
He spoke slowly, argumentatively.
"Now look here, my dear girl, you just listen -"
And then he sprang. Quick as a panther - as any other feline creature...
Automatically Vera pressed the trigger...
Lombard's leaping body stayed poised in mid-spring, then crashed heavily to the ground.
Vera came warily forward, the revolver ready in her hand.
But there was no need of caution.
Philip Lombard was dead - shot through the heart...
III
Relief possessed Vera - enormous exquisite relief.
At last it was over.
There was no more fear - no more steeling of her nerves...
She was alone on the island...
Alone with nine dead bodies...
But what did that matter? She was alive...
She sat there - exquisitely happy - exquisitely at peace...
No more fear...
IV
The sun was setting when Vera moved at last. Sheer reaction had kept her immobile. There had been no room in her for anything but the glorious sense of safety.
She realized now that she was hungry and sleepy. Principally sleepy. She wanted to throw herself on her bed and sleep and sleep and sleep...
Tomorrow, perhaps, they would come and rescue her - but she didn't really mind. She didn't mind staying here. Not now that she was alone...
Oh! blessed, blessed peace...
She got to her feet and glanced up at the house.
Nothing to be afraid of any longer! No terrors waiting for her! Just an ordinary well-built modern house. And yet, a little earlier in the day, she had not been able to look at it without shivering...
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