night fell I knew that it would find me useless, if indeed my reason lingered on. To lie there helpless when Eva was expecting me, that would be the finishing touch. I should rise a maniac if ever I rose at all. More probably I would put one of my five big bullets into my own splitting head; it was no small temptation, lying there in a double agony, with the loaded weapon by my side.
Then sometimes I thought it was coming; and perhaps for an instant would be tossing in my hen-coop; then back once
they follow me: my ears were in too good training to make any mistake. And the reason only dawned on me as I drove back disappointed: they had followed me already to the gunsmith’s!
Convinced of this, I entertained but little hope of another midnight visitor. Nevertheless, I put my light out early,