The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-12-13

voice. 1t was low but harsh, cold. as
different as possible from Pennies
like voices she had been accustomed
to in those lean years before she came
into The Cdstard Cup. With a Jerk
the woman had covered her money
with one of the papers. She turned Oh
Lettie with eyes that glittered,
threatened. Her face had shut look.
Il want to see Mr.. Bosley." Lettie
fioundered.
Inc woman gazed at her coldly,
Amt nobody here by that name"
He comes here"
He don't, neither"
Yes, he does," insisted Lettie des-
perately. I've seen him."
You haint, neither" retorted the
woman with vehemence. She came
forward. You get out" She broke
on In the midst of her intensity and
glanced back at the table. as If con-
sidering how much the unwelcome
visitor had seen. How'd you get in r
through the window. I wouldn't
ha' done it If you'd answered the bell"
What did you come forY'
MY little brother. Please let me
have him-quick."
The woman's brows drew together
In horrible scowl. There amt no
body here but me. I'm alone-and I
been alone all the time, too. What do
you mean. you little devilY' She made
dive at Lettie; then paused. 1t was
evident that she could not make up
her mind what to do with the intruder.
Finally she gripped the child's shoul-
DER, whirled her about, and forced
her Into chair. You sit there" she
Missed. Don't you move. You're a
lun'tic. Wen have you put in 'sy-
lum."
Lettie glared steadily back at her.
The grip on her thin shoulder had con-
vinced her that physical resistance
was inadvisable, but she was serene in
the knowledge that she was not lu-
natic.
Il want my little brother" she re-
peated, with diplomatic calm.
A tide of color surged into the wom-
ans face. She looked as If she were
strangling. "Ain't nobody here" she
snapped.
A terrible fear clutched Lettie's
heart. What If Thad really were not
here? She had been so blindly certain
of his presence that she had not faced
the opposite possibility.
"Please-'
"Shut up"
The woman sat down across from
Lettie. They glared savagely at each
other. The shades were drawn down
below the window-sills, so that not a
ray of light could penetrate outside.
-. No one would dream that little
girl was prisoner In this house, dark.
deserted, for all that passer-by could
tell. :. The room was close and fear
somely silent. The gas spurted up
now and then with an angry sizzling.
Lettie's frightened glance Travelled
around the bare room, seeking for
some means of outwitting the woman
before her. Nothing occurred to her.
Suddenly she heard sound that
was like a faint moan. 1t seemed to
come from distance. She heard 1t
again. 1t might be in the basement.
Again She was sure 1t was below her
somewhere.
"Oh!" Lettie started to her feet. II
hear him. It's Thad. Let me"
The woman pushed her back into
her seat. You fool! "rain't nothing
but cats"
Lettie struggled to free herself. ut
is, too. know it's Thad. Lego
Leggol Darn 1t all. leggo!"
"Shut UP. I got ways to keep you
STILL" She seized the child's arms and
twisted them back with swift
wrench. Lettie gasped; she turned
faint with the pain. But when the
first agony had passed, she was filled
with renewed defiance. 1t flashed into
her mind that the woman was waiting
for something. Lettie wished 1t would
come. Whatever 1t was. surely she
could
The moan struck her ears again, q
long wall of human suffering, the des'
olation of child that is spent with
crying. Lettie's fingers worked. but
she held herself still. Perhaps the
woman would go to sleep after while
Nobody could stay awake always. =
The gas shot up at one side. sank
again with a dismal gurgle.
Presently there was sound outside
faint, momentary, like step. Let
ties heart gave bound of relief. But
evidently 1t was not the sound that the
woman had been waiting for. She sat
straighter in her chair, in an attitude
Of alarmed listening. The sound came
again. The woman sprang up. turned
off the gas. and went out quickly TO
ward the front of the house.
Instantly Lettie dashed the other
way. through door which she had
previously decided must lead to the
kitchen. Cropping her way around the
wall. she opened a door into another
room, and then one which opened Into
space-the stairway.
She plunged recklessly down the
dark stairs, her nerves keyed high by
the fear of pursuit. The moaning was