The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-04-16
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pushed open and a black-robed fig
ure entered Perilla's room. But Per-
illa's quick hearing caught the sound
of breathing and she opened her
eyes to see some one leaning over
her dressing table.
"Who are you? What do you
want?" she said, quietly, at the same
time pulling on a small light at the
headboard of her bed.
The figure, startled, jumped back
ward, and Perilla went on, ''Why do
you come in steathily, Madam Mall
den? Had you tapped at my door I
would have opened it. was expect
ing you"
Expecting me, were your" came
the response, in that high, screech-
ing voice she had used before to
Perilla. Expecting me to come to
get a confession of your guilt"
'No," said Perilla, in a calm, con-
versational tone, land you may as
well stop that nonsense at once. /
didn't kill my Corey, my darling, and
well you know it. You are nobody's
fool, except your own, and that is
going to bring you to grief. Now, lis
ten to me. I married Corey, not
Knowing what his mother was like.
Nor do I blame him for not telling
me; in fact, I don't see how he could
bring himself to tell me, now that I
have seen you.
81 married Corey, and planned to
visit you on our wedding trip, sup
posing you would love me, and I was
quite ready to love you. Instead, you
greeted me with terrible, fearful
accusation. I cannot yet think you
meant it; I think, I hope, you did
not know what you said, so bewild-
cred were you from grief. But my
efforts to make peace availed moth
ing. What are you here for?"
"To-to-"
"You needn't tell me; know. Now
here is my last word. For Coreys
sake, whose life with you must have
been veritable hell, I will forget or
seem to forget what you have said
+, and done. I do not forgive you. Cor
ey, himself, could not do that, but I
will ignore it all, if you promise
there will be nothing further of the
sort. You know what I mean, you
know all mean-do you promise?"
81 PROMISE" said the old woman,
sullenly.
II am not at all sure you will keep
your promise. A Maiden would new
er break a given word, but you are
not a Maiden. You are not to be
trusted in anything, therefore, to-
morrow l put the whole business
before your lawyer. Everything,
mind"
''No, no." came the screening
again, and as Perilla jumped out of
bed and held her captive, she called
to Sarah to fetch the nurse.
'Find her somehow" she said, "if
you have to rouse the whole house
hold"
Sarah soon found her, sleeping
soundly land carried her off to Per-
lila.
zone moment, Miss Seymour" she
said. "Is Madame Maiden subject to
fancies? To imaginationS?"
"At times, yes" the nurse replied.
'Take her away, please, and ask
her not to have them any more"
Perilla had just been Weakened
next morning when Malcolm arriv-
ed from the railroad station and she
hurried downstairs to greet him.
swat minute, Pril," he said, as
he led her to settee in the corner
of the porch. Listen here. Don't say
a single word to anybody, which can
be quoted as yours. mean, confine
everything you say to casual SUBJ
jects, like the weather, the beauty of
the place the house, or the city of
Richmond. But not a word of Corey,
of any of us, of yourself, of anything
personal. I can't say more now, but,
remember"
Perilla well know that when NAL
colin adopted that tone he was in
dead earnest, and she had no
thought of disobeying him.
John Lowell joined them, they had
a family breakfast land then Perilla
dismissed the servants.
did you learn anything in Wash
ington?" she asked her brother.
'sNo," he returned, except that
we want to keep perfectly quiet, and
get away from here and back to
New York as soon as we can"
"Ten it all, NAL" said Lowell, I'VE
must know. You can speak low. I
10 cf mo-