The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-15

TO my utter amazement the
history with your beauty and your
grand air. and that halo of tragedy
Mr.. Dabney talks about"
She smiled teasingly, but l was
too sad to smile back.
my history is not romantic" l
said bitterly. ct is dull and sordid.
You are very good to me, dear Mrs.
Brane," | was close to tears. 81
wish could do more for you"
More! Why, child, if it wasn't
for you Id run away from The Pines
and never come back No induce
ment, no consideration of any kind
would keep me in this place"
"Why do you stay, Mrs. Brane,"
asked impulsively. "At least, why
don't you go away for change? 1t
would do you so much good, and it
would be wonderful for Robbie"
mo, DEAR" said the little lady
sorrowfully, hardly for an hour.
It's my prison" She looked about
the room again and added, as
though she were talking to herself:
'1 don't dare to leave it"
"Dare?" l repeated.
She smiled deprecatingly. THAT
was a silly word to use, wasn't it,"
Again that tormented little sigh.
"You see, I'm a silly little person.
I'm not fit to carry the weight OF
other peoples secrets"
Again l repeated, like some brain
less parrot, "Secrets?"
"Of course there are secrets,
child" she said impatiently. Every
one has secrets-their own or
other peoples. You have secrets,
without doubt?"
| had. She had successfully. ST.
fenced me. After that he worked
steadily and there was no further
attempt at confidence.
Nevertheless, as lay on my bed
trying to read and waiting for
Mary's summons, | decided that |
would make a strong effort to get
Mrs. Brane and Robbie out Of the
house. | had come to the cOnclu-
sion that my employer was the vic
tim of a mild sort Of mania, one
symptom of which was a fear Of
leaving her home.
Mary was a long time in coming.
| must have fallen asleep, for a
while later | became aware that |
had slipped down on my pillows
and that my book had fallen to the
floor / got up, feeling rather
startled, and looked at my clock.
1t was already half past twelve and
Mary had not called me.
went to the door and found that
it was locked. | remembered that
it had been my alternate plan for
Mary to lock me in, and | supposed
that she had forgotten that our
final decision was in favor of the
other scheme, or she had preferred
to watch over Robbie alone. | was
a little hurt, but | acquiesced in
my Imprisonment and went back to
bed. put out the light and was
very soon asleep again.
was walked by a dreadful sound
of screaming. ] sat up in bed. stiff
with fear. my heart leaping Then
| ran toward the door, remembered
that 1t was locked and stood in the
middle of the room, pressing my
hands together.
The screaming stopped. Robbie
had had his nightmare and it was
over. Thank God! this time my
alibi was established without
doubt. I was enormously relieved.
for | had begun myself to fear that
had been walking in my sleep,
and, perhaps. influenced by the de,
scriptiOn of Robbie's favorite night
mare, had unconsciOusly acted out
the horror beside his bed.
After a while. the house being
fairly quiet, though I thought I
would hear Mary moving about,
went back to my bed. When she
could leave her charge | knew that
she would come to me with her
story. I tried to be calm and pa
tient, but, of course, was anything
but that
It was nearly morning, a faint
greenish light spread in the sky.
opening fan-like fingers through the
stats of my shutter. After a while,
it seemed interminable, a step
came down the hall. II was not
Mary's padded. nurse-like tread: il
was the quick, resOlUte fOotstep Of
a man. It stopped outside my door
There was no ceremony of knock