Evening star., 1917-08-19
By ANNA Katherine Green


rose within her. and she gave start
and fell full upon the point upturned
to receive her.
THAT is my story. friends DO you
wonder that I have never been or lived
like other men?
when came to myself my instinct
was to fly and hide my trembling body
again in my own bed. and associated
with this in fact. dominating il and
making me old before my time, was
other-never to tell; never to let any
one least Of all my grandfather-know
what that forbidden room now con
tanned. / felt in irresistible sort OF
way that my fathers and mothers
honor was at stake. Besides. terror
held me back. ] felt that ] should die
if 1 spoke. Childhood has such terrors
and such heroisms.
Events aided me. When. in despera-
tion to see once more the light and all
the things which linked me 10 life
my little bed. the toy on the window
sill. my squirrel in its cage-I forced
myself to retraverse the empty house.
expecting at every turn to hear my
fathers voice or come upon the image
of my mother-yes. such was the con-
fusion of my mind, though / knew well
enough even then that they We're dead
and that l should never hear the one
or see the other. / was so benumhed
with the cold in my hah-dressed CON
dition. that / woke in a fever next
morning after terrible dream which
Mother"-only that.
II was cautious even in delirium. This
delrium and my flushed cheeks and
shining eyes led them to be very care
full of me. I was told that my mother
was away from home: that she had
gone to Europe, where we would follow
WI.
Offering as it did. a prospect of i'm
mediate release from the terrors which
We're consuming me. had an extra
ordinary effect upon me. l got up out OF
my bed saying that / was well now
and ready to start on the instant The
doctor. finding my pulse equable and
my whole condition wonderfully i'm
proved. and attributing II, as was nat
ural. to nay hope of soon joining my
mother, advised my whim to be humor-
ed and this hope kept active till travel
and intercourse with children should
give me strength and prepare me for
the bitter truth ultimately awaiting
They listened to him and In twenty
four hours our preparations were made
We saw the house closed-with what
emotions surginE in one small breast
/ leave you to imagine-and then start
ed on our long tour. For five years we
wandered over the continent OF Europe,
my grandfather finding distraction. as
well myself. In foreign scenes and
associations.
But return was inevitable. What I
suffered on re-entering this house. God
and my sleepless pillow alone know"
A pause during which white horror
had shone on every face: then with q
final glance at Violet. he said:
What sequel do you see to this story.
Miss Strange? / can tell the past, I
leave you to picture the future"
Rising. she let her eye travel from
face TO face. till IT rested on the one
awaiting ii, when she answered dream
lily:
IF some morning in the news column
there should appear an account OF tho
ancient and historic home Of the Van
Broecklyns having burned to the ground
in the night, the whole country would
mourn. and the city feel defrauded of
one of it treasures. But there are ffve
persons who would see in it the sequel
which you ask for"
When this happened. as II did happen.
some few weeks later. the astonishing
discovery was made that no insurance
had been put upon this house. Why was
il that after such a loss Mr.. Van
Broecklyn seemed to renew his youth?
It was a constant source OF comment
among his friends.
The title Of the next story In Oh
series iss "yiolet's own"