When he reached the building, Wilmarth dashed through the door and slid the deadbolt shut with a loud click. The landlord at the front desk raised an eyebrow in surprise:
"What the hell are you doing here?" – he walked up to him and unlocked the door, making Walter recoil from the entrance closer to the stairs.
"I'll say it again – what the hell are you doing here!" – It was obvious from the old prick's face that he wasn't in the mood for friendly conversation.
"Please forgive me…" – mumbled Wilmarth, still recovering from his shock – "Please forgive me." – he coughed and took a serious look – "The thing is, I met… outlaws in the woods, and they… Well, can I stay here in the hall for a while and then go to my place in peace?"
"You think you can just show up at my door with no respect and…"
"I'll pay," the intruder interrupted and held out some notes.
The landlord snorted, roughly snatched the money from the hands of the pale young man and, grumbling to himself, returned to the counter.
Wilmarth looked around. He had never been inside before, only seen some of the furnishings through the windows. The young man walked to a large chair and sank tiredly into it. He had to think about what to do next. He asked the maid to fetch him some coffee and deepened his thinking, taking a magazine from the table so as not to look too suspicious.
An hour later a boy burst into the inn.
"Mr. Albert Willmarth, they told me he was here!"
"What on earth is going on today," came the owner's angry voice, "there's your Willmarth, he's been asleep in his chair for an hour! And what's the matter with you all today…"
"Mr Wilmarth, Mr Wilmarth!" – the boy ran up to Wilmarth and shook him by the shoulder – "I have urgent news for you!"
"What is it?" – The man asked in a sleepy voice. After all, he had dozed off a little from his long rumination.
"Your flat… it burned down." – the boy muttered, and froze in anticipation of the fireman's reaction.
Walter's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in a mute question that, frankly, he was afraid to ask even to himself. Fifteen minutes later he was standing in front of his house, or rather what was left of it.
Eyewitnesses said that the fire broke out suddenly, and there was a wild rumbling noise from the flat, as if some large creature was breaking furniture. However, the rumbling stopped as quickly as the flames disappeared – it is not known how, where or why.