"Please let her come in," said Kent. "Mercer scrubbed me last
night, and I feel fairly fit. She'll forgive this beard, and I'll
apologize for your sake. What is her name?"

"I asked her, and she didn't seem to hear. A little later Mercer
asked her, and he said she just looked at him for a moment and he
froze. She is reading a volume of my Plutarch's 'Lives'--actually
reading it. I know it by the way she turns the pages!"

Kent drew himself up higher against his pillows and faced the door
when Cardigan went out. In a flash all that O'Connor had said
swept back upon him--this girl, Kedsty, the mystery of it all. Why
had she come to see him? What could be the motive of her visit--
unless it was to thank him for the confession that had given Sandy
McTrigger his freedom? O'Connor was right. She was deeply
concerned in McTrigger and had come to express her gratitude. He
listened. Distant footsteps sounded in the hall. They approached
quickly and paused outside his door. A hand moved the latch, but
for a moment the door did not open. He heard Cardigan's voice,
then Cardigan's footsteps retreating down the hall. His heart
thumped. He could not remember when he had been so upset over an
unimportant thing.





CHAPTER V