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

about it-this wall-it had a tenn
porary look, and was made Of odd
old boards, which, it seemed to me,
showed signs of recent workman
ship. Perhaps Henry had made re-
pairs. l blew out my candle and
stepped from the closet.
Sara had come back from the
garden. She greeted my appear
ance with a low, quavering cry Of
fear: ooh, my God" Then, recov-
ering herself, though her large face
remained ashen, Excuse me,
madam, ;, she said timidly, 81 wasn't
expectin' to see you there"-and she
added Observation-Disclosures in
the daytime, madam"
Now, for some reason, these
words gave me the most horrible
chill of fear. Ny mind simply
turned away from them l could
not question Sara of their meaning.
''YOu have been putting the closet
in order" I said. Has Henry been
repairing it? l mean has he been
mending up that-hole?"
Eyes, madam" she said half
suddenly, "accordin' to your or
ders," and she glanced around as
though she we're afraid some one
might be listening to us.
my ordersi 1 gave no orders
whatever about this closet" Ny
voice was almost shrill, and
sounded angry, though I was not
angry, only terribly and quite I'M
reasonably frightened.
"Just as you please, madam"
said Sara with that curious sub
missiYeness and its undercurrent
Of something else. "Just as you
say. OF course you didn't give no
such orders. Not you. I just had
Henry nail it up myself here
she fixed those expressionless eyes
upon me and the lid of one, or
imagined it, just dropped, ION &C
count Of sleUths."
''Sleuths?" 1 echoed.
"a kitchen name for rats,
ma'am," said Sara, and came as
near to laughing as I ever saw her
come. Rats, ma'am, that comes
nosin' about old houses such as
this" And here she glanced in a
meaning way over her shoulder
out Of the window.
Ny glance followed hers, in fact,
my whole body followed. | went
and stood near the window. The
kitchen was on a lower level than
the garden, so that l looked up to
the gravel path. Here Mr.. Dabney
was walking with Robbie's hand in
his. Robbie was chattering like a
bird, and Paul Dabney was smil-
ing down at him. It was a pretty
picture in the pale November sun
shine, prettier picture than
Sara's face.
But, as | looked at them CRATE
fully, feeling that the very sight of
those two was bringing me back
from a queer attack of dementia,
Robbie, looking by chance my way,
threw himself against his COM
panion, stiffening and pointing.
heard his shrill cry, There she is!
l wisht they'd take her away"
/ flinched out of his sight, COW
ering my face with my hands and
hurrying towards the inner door
which led to the kitchen stairs.
did not want to look again at Sara,
but something forced me to do so.
She was watching me with a look
of fearful amusement. the most
disgusting look I rushed through
the door and stumbled I'D the
stairs. / was shaking with anger.
and wear, and pain of heart. and
yet this last feeling was the only
one whose cause could fully ex-
plain to myself Paul Dabney had
seen a child turn pale and stiff with
fear at the mere sight of me. and
7 could not forget the grim. stern
look with which he followed Rob
bie's little pitiful pointing finger.
And I had fancied that this man
was falling in love with me!