The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-07-30
CHAPTER vi.

pendulums were ticking OF the time
In the empty rooms. She moved
away
In a shed near the quay. however,
she saw the sacks and boxes which
Honorine mad brought with her in the
motorboat
We'll" she thought, IL shan't starve.
There's enough to last me Tor weeks;
and by that ume"---
She filed basket with chocolate,
biscuits, few tins Of preserved meat,
rice and matches; and she was on the
point OF returning to the PriOry, when
II occurred 20 her that she would con-
tinue her walk to the end of the lBl-
ard. She would fetch her basket on
me why back.
A shady road climbed upward on
the right. The landscape seemed to
be the same: the same nat stretches
OF moorland, without plOughed fields
or pastures; the same clumps of an
Client oaks. The island also became
narrower. with no obstacle to block
the view OF the sea on either side OF
the PenmRnch headland IN the dis
lance.
There was also a hedge which
ran from one cliff to the other and
which served TO inclose a property, a
shabby property, with q struggling,
dilapidated, ttlmbledown house upon
II, some outhousea with patched roofs
and a dirty, badly kept yard, full Of
scrap iron and sticks OF irewood.
Veronique was already retracing
her steps, when she stopped in alarm
and surprise. II seemed to her that
she heard some one moan. She lis
tened. striving TO plumb the vast
silence, and once again tho same
sound, but this time moro distinctly,
reached her eaTB; and there were
others; cries OF pain, cries for help,
women's, cries. They had not all the
inhabitants taken 70 night7 She had
a feeling OF Joy mingled with some
sorrow, 70 know that she was not
alone on Sarek, and of fear also, at
the thought that events would per-
haps drug her back again into the
fatal cycle Of death and horror.
So far as Veronique was able TO
Judge, the noise came not from the
house. but from the buildings on tho
right OF the yard. This yard was
closed with a simple gate which she
had only TO push and which opened
with the crealeing sound OF wood
upon wood.
The cries in the clubhouse at once
Increased in number. The people in
side had no doubt heard VeroniQue
approach. She FASTENED her steps.
Though the roof OF the outbuildingB
was gone in places, the walls were
thick and solid. with old arched doors
strengthened with iron bars. There
was a. knocking against ono of these
doors from the inside, while the cries
became more urgent:
'Helpl Helpl"
But there was a dispute; and an
other less strident voice grated:
BE quiet, Clemence, can't your II
may be them!"
mo. no. Gertrude. it's not / don't
hear them! 81. Open the door,
win you. The key ought to be
there"
Veronique. who was seeking for
some means Of entering, now saw q
big key in the lock. She turned II;
and the door opened.
She at once recognized the sisters
Archlgnat, half-dressed. gaunt, evil
looking, witch-like. They were
In a wash house filled with Am-
Elements; and Veronique saw at the
back, lying on some straw, a third
woman. who was bewailing her fate
in an almost inaudible voice and who
was obviously the third sister.
At that moment one OF the first two
collapsed from exhaustion, and the
other, whose eyes were bright with
fever. seized Veronique by the arm
and began to gasp.
Did you see them. tell mel Arc
they there7 How IL II they didn't
kill you? They are the masters
Of Sarek since the others went Off &.
And It's our turn next =. We've been
locked in here now for six days &.
Listen, 1t was on the day when every
body left. We three came here. to
the wash house, to fetch our linen.
which was drying One never does
hear them And then. suddenly,
the door was locked on us. A AlaIn,
a turn Of the key and the thing
was done We had bread, apples
and best OF all. brandy. =. We didn't do
80 badly D.. only, were they going to
come back and kin us7 Was 1t our
turn neXt2 =. oh, my dear good lady,
how we strained our earsl And how
we trembled with fear! =. My eldeSt
sisters gone crazy .HaEk, you can
hear her raving e. The other, Glenn
ence, has borne all she can And
~. Gertrude ....'
Gertrude had plenty OF strength left,
for she was twisting Veroniques arm:
Ana OOTItJouE ne came Dttcf
didn't he, and went away again.
Why didn't any one come TO look for
us7 IL would have been easy
enough: everybody knew whore we
were; and we called out at the least
sound. So what does II all mean?"
Veronlque hesitated what TO reply.
Still, why should she conceal tie
TRUTH
She replied:
Tho two boats went down"
"What?"
"The two boats sank in view OF
Sarek. All on board were drowned.
II was opposite tho Priory
after leaving tho Devils Passage
Veronique said no more, 80 as TO
avoid mention nB tho names Of Fran
co.'s and his tutor or speaking OF the
part which these two had played.
But Clemence now sat up, with dis
torted features. She had been Lean
ing against the door and raised nell
srli 10 her knees,
Gertrude murmured:
and Honorlne2"
"Honorino Is dead"
Dead"
The two sisters both cried out at
once. Then they were silent and
looked at each other. Tho same
thought struck them both. They
seemed 10 bo rejecting. GertruGs