The Coolidge examiner., 1937-10-28


peated the phrase more decidedly.
I'm extremely glad to wash my
hands of the whole thing" Dr.. Cud-
worth said. He's warned now,
and think we might give the nurse
a hint; it seems to me we might"
Il am going to talk to both
nurses; I've had this girl telephone
for another" Quentin said. and once
again Vicky thought that he was
two men; the Quentin who was the
children's adored Dad" easy and
quiet and quite willing to take
their word for anything. to listen
to them, to learn from them, and
this other Quentin. who held life
and death in his big square hands.
1T would be better to get him into
a hospital, of course, but we can't
move him now. You say Serena
hasn't shown up at all?" he asked
Victoria, when they were all out
in the hall again.
Not 4 sound"
"Will you wake her up? I'm going
to take look at Spencer. Amah
here will let the nurse go down
for some coffee. I've got to talk to
Serena"
Victoria crossed the upper hall,
turned the knob of Serena's door.
and spoke from the threshold:
"Serenal"
There was complete darkness
within. Serena's apartment was on
the western side of the house, and
the first dim grayness of dawn that
had struck into the kitchen, and
that was now timidly attacking the
eastern world, had made no en-
trance here. There was black night
beyond Serena's window. and in
the room vague, darker shadows.
Vicky groped inside the door cas-
ing, found switch, and inundated
the place with soft, rosy light.
Everything was orderly enough.
Vicky had seen these pink taffeta
fittings before, the pink-brocaded
walls, the long-legged doll and Man
DARN lamps, the black worsted dog
with the beady eyes. But there was
in the silence here now something
indefinably frightening. Her heart
beat fast with terror.
Serena, still wearing the pale Law
ender dressing gown in which Vicky
had first seen her last night, was
lying fiat across the unopened bed.
The delicate pink taffeta covers still
were spread in their daytime posi-
ton, and flowed over the dais in
thick rich flouncing and folds. At
the top of the low wide bed. a half
circle of finely pleated silk rose
like moon. Beside the pillows
were the night table and the pink
lamps, the pink-and-white tele-
phone. the book in a fooled vellum
cover that Serena had been read
ing.
Serena! Spencer's better. They
think he will live. Quentin wants
to speak to you!"
Silence. The rooms mistress lay
as she might have lain in a moment
of sleep. She was lying on her
back, her beautiful hair loosened
and falling in a cascade over her
shoulder. one arm hanging relaxed
over the edge of the bed. Vicky's
heart suddenly rose into her throat,
and she felt her knees weaken.
She dared not turn her back on
this room. Instead she backed
slowly away, heard the men emerg-
ing from Spencer's room; turned to
show them an ashen face and to
clutch at Quentins arm.
"Oh, Quentin, she's only asleep,
l guess. but don't go in there!
Don't. She's lying on her bed-she
didn't go to bed-I spoke to her
and she didn't STIR
What's the matter, Vicky?"
Quentin asked, surprised, weary.
What did she say? Has she faint
ed?"
He went toward Serena's door.
Vicky, with a little gasp of fright,
followed along beside him. Again
she looked at the rosy beauty of
Serena's room: the pink lights on
delicate pink silk, the litter of
beautiful luxurious nothings wit h
which Serena had surrounded her.
s =, a rabbit-skin rug, silver frames
and vases, tortoise shell fitting
mounted in gold for the desk at
which Serena wrote only love notes.
wait a minute!" Quentin said
sharply. He went to the bed,
touched the figure lying there;
gripped the unresponsive shoulder
with a big hand and shook it. ''Se-
renal" he said. And then, turning
to Vicky and the other doctor:
Look here!"
What is it?" Cudworth asked,
advancing into the room.
Dead" Quentin said.
"Oh, no, Quent!" Vicky was cling
ing to his arm. 'Oh, no! Who
would do it, who would do it?"
She's done it herself, eh?" Cud-
worth asked. He stopped and picked
from the floor something that gilt
tered brightly in the soft light. "Ye
didn't care for that investigation,
did ye, my lady?" the old man