Then for the
first time through long, long minutes her eyes wandered. The power which
held her immovable and speechless was lessening, but the tension was not
gone yet. Her eyes wandered, and her ears heard something besides the
ringing steel. The curtains over the window shook a little, stirred by a
breath of wind from the alley without. Then the window must have been
left open! How was it no one without had heard the noise?
Crosby's back was to the window; he could not see that the curtains
stirred, his ear caught no sound to startle him.
Rosmore, although he faced the window, saw nothing, heard nothing. His
eyes were fixed upon those of his enemy, who was growing fiercer, more
deadly every moment. The end was coming. Rosmore knew it, and felt
weary. Every moment his enemy's point came nearer. It was parried this
time and that, and again; but still it came. It touched him that time,
not enough to scratch even, still it touched him! Next time! No, once
more it was turned aside, and then it touched him again. It was nothing,
but there was blood on his arm. In a moment that blade which had begun
to dazzle him would be in his heart.
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