San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-10

would take down her hair
and yawn. Then she looked
so extremely young; so very
dangerous and delightful that Nora
Lee used to say: ooh mother, when
you die you must will me that grace
| full air." ~
On cold nights like this she used to
heat milk and whip an egg in it and
shake nutmeg on the top. They would
drink it slowly, glad if the wind
howled or a dog barked or rain scamp
cred on the roof.
MORE MEMORIES.
Two weeks ago it had been coy and
companionable like this. Margaret
bargained: IF you get me my lilac
robe, Nora Lee, I'll brush your hair"
She always said my lilac robe" as
though she had several dozen of every
different hue-but the lilac was the
only one there was.
In these guises Margaret was now
passing through the room. She was
at the desk, at the fireplace, at the
doorway. Nora Lee felt her mothers
presence as though Margaret came
close and leaning down, pressed her
lips on her heart, leaving it covered
with bright red wounds.
1t was the first time in her life she
had ever been alone through the whole
night. She was rigid with fear, but
she wouldn't admit this. She had
reached the breaking point of her
grief, butsshe wouldn't let herself cry.
She sat here adding to the fire,
whispering to herself in stricken
tones admitting that she was going
mad, but that wouldn't matter be-
cause no one would worry and mad
people have no sorrow.
Then she said aloud: Il wont
give in to her. I'm cleverer than
she is" She went through the scene
with Andrews wife, for she was con-
fident the woman was coming from
Fairdale for the sole purpose of charg-
ing her with theft and forcing the
restoration of the bonds.
PLANS TO GET LETTERS.
She felt stained by her interview
with the detective; the. thought of
the money Lily Cornish claimed now
filled her with revulsion. She want
cd recklessly to be finished with it
wipe the whole affair out, of her life.
But she had an idea that she must
use craft. II she were to show the
slightest anxiety-once let that white,
ugly woman think she wanted the let
ters-and she would rush away with
that stiff, hating gait.
At any cost Nora Lee meant to
prevent this. She must get her moth
er's letters-give up the damn bonds
in a minute
She thought Of this till she was
drained of emotion; even of her an
ger. She didn't then figure that the
loss of the bonds would mean the en-
tire breaking of her life; the surren-
der of every dream and plan. She
knew only that she would not let her
mothers love be violatcd-would not
have this fiendish Lily Cornish gloat-
ing and moistening her wide, avid
lips. She would triumph over this old
woman.
A BAD DREAM.
When finally she rolled herself up
in a blanket and stretched out on the
bare rup to sleep, the fire blazing and
all the lights switched on, she dreamed
that Andrews wife took brand and
set it flaming in her hair. put her foot
on her chest, compelling her to lie
there and slowly burn TO death. The
old, childish notion that Lily Cornish
was a witch was never completely
routed.
She awakened at o'clock, con-
WINGED that she had dreamed all night.
1t was stormy dark, with an impetu-
Gus rain sweeping the trees, leaving
long streams of silver blowing from
their branches. She thought of the
rain soaking into her mothers grave
cold, penetrating rain going down
through the sod. She cried.
If the rain kept up, Lily wouldn't
venture out. But she wished her to
come-be done with this suspense.
She cooked an elaborate breakfast.
She bathcd and dressed with the
greatest care.
At 10 o'clock machine stopped, its
brakes creaking stridently. The wild
thought that it might be the patrol
wagon made her pulses leap; made
her think Of dashing TO the basement
and hiding.
But from the middle Of the living
(Contipued on Page 20, Part -