Gainor, reading their minds, paid no more heed to them. He went straight
across the room and took the hand of Elizabeth.
"Dear Miss Cornish," he said so that all could hear, "I congratulate you
for the man you have given us in Terence Hollis."
Vance, watching, saw the tears of pleasure brighten the eyes of his
sister.
"You are very kind," she said. "But now I must see Sheriff Minter and be
sure that everything is done for him."
It seemed that the party took this as a signal for dismissal. As she went
across the room, there were a dozen hasty adieus, and soon the guests
were streaming towards the doors.
Vance and Elizabeth and Gainor went to the sheriff. He had been installed
in a guest room. His eyes were closed, his arms outstretched. A thick,
telltale bandage was wrapped about his breast. And Wu Chi, skillful in
such matters from a long experience, was sliding about the room in his
whispering slippers. The sheriff did not open his eyes when Elizabeth
tried his pulse. It was faint, but steady.
He had been shot through the body and the lungs grazed, for as he
breathed there was a faint bubble of blood that grew and swelled and
burst on his lips at every breath.
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