large/9571/shortstoryvol059_1411_librivox_64kb_mp3/shortstory059_17_firsthate_64kb_29
large/9571/shortstoryvol059_1411_librivox_64kb_mp3/shortstory059_17_firsthate_64kb
English
9571
"It began some dozen years ago when my brother Jack and I came home from a shooting trip in China. I've often told you about our adventures there, and you see the heads hanging up here in the smoking room—some of 'em." He glanced round proudly at the walls. "We were glad to be in town again after two years' roughing it, and we looked forward to our first good dinner at the club, to make up for the rotten cooking we had endured so long. We had ordered that dinner in anticipatory detail many a time together. IT BEGAN SOME DOZEN YEARS AGO WHEN MY BROTHER JACK AND I CAME HOME FROM A SHOOTING TRIP IN CHINA I'VE OFTEN TOLD YOU ABOUT OUR ADVENTURES THERE AND YOU SEE THE HEADS HANGING UP HERE IN THE SMOKING ROOM SOME OF THEM HE GLANCED PROUDLY ROUND AT THE WALLS WE WERE GLAD TO BE IN TOWN AGAIN AFTER TWO YEARS ROUGHING IT AND WE LOOKED FORWARD TO OUR FIRST GOOD DINNER AT THE CLUB TO MAKE UP FOR THE ROTTEN COOKING WE HAD ENDURED SO LONG WE HAD ORDERED THAT DINNER IN ANTICIPATORY DETAIL MANY A TIME TOGETHER
no doubt?” suggested Lawson. “None whatever,” was the reply. “Merely her woman’s instinct. Moreover, I did not know who the other man was, nor would she ever tell me.” “Otherwise you might have murdered him instead?” said Baynes, the second listener. “I did,” said Ericssen grimly. “But without knowing he was the man.” He sipped his whisky and relit his pipe. The others waited. “Our marriage took place two months later—just after Hazel’s disappearance.” “Hazel?” exclaimed Lawson and Baynes in a single breath. “Hazel! Member of the Hunters!” His mysterious disappearance had been a nine days’ wonder some ten years ago. It had never been explained. They had all been members of the Hunters’ Club together. “That’s the chap,” Ericssen said. “Now I’ll tell you[77] the tale, if you care to hear it.” They settled back in their chairs to listen, and Ericssen, who had evidently never told the affair to another living soul except his own wife, doubtless, seemed glad this time to tell it to two men. RRY ME WOULD KILL YOU SHE HAD SOME PROOF FOR THE ASSERTION NO DOUBT SUGGESTED LARSAN NONE WHATSOEVER WAS THE REPLY MERELY HER WOMAN'S INSTINCT MOREOVER I DID NOT KNOW WHO THE OTHER MAN WAS NOR WOULD SHE EVER TELL ME OTHERWISE YOU MIGHT HAVE MURDERED HIM INSTEAD SAID BAINES THE SECOND LISTENER I DID SAID ERICSSON GRIMLY BUT WITHOUT KNOWING HE WAS THE MAN HE SIPPED HIS WHISKEY AND RELIT HIS PIPE THE OTHERS WAITED OUR MARRIAGE TOOK PLACE TWO MONTHS LATER JUST AFTER HAZEL'S DISAPPEARANCE HAZEL EXCLAIMED LAWSON IN VINES IN A SINGLE BREATH HAZEL MEMBER OF THE HUNTERS HIS MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE HAD BEEN A NINE DAYS WONDER SOME TEN YEARS AGO IT HAD NEVER BEEN EXPLAINED THEY HAD ALL BEEN MEMBERS OF THE HUNTERS CLUB TOGETHER THAT'S THE CHAP ERICSSON SAID NOW I'LL TELL YOU THE TALE IF YOU CARE TO HEAR IT THEY SETTLED BACK IN THEIR CHAIRS TO LISTEN AND ERICSSON WHO HAD EVIDENTLY NEVER TOLD THE AFFAIR TO ANOTHER LIVING SOUL EXCEPT HIS OWN WIFE DOUBTLESS SEEMED GLAD THIS TIME TO TELL IT TO TWO MEN
large/9571/shortstoryvol059_1411_librivox_64kb_mp3/shortstory059_17_firsthate_64kb
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