Evening star., 1939-01-15
CR OS SING
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the spirit had gone out of her All she wanted
now, was to get back to what once she had
schemed to get away FROM the farm, and the
sound of the wind rushing down Long Island
Sound.
There was no one down the first night,
when Meryl Harbinger came into the saloon,
except Miss Maladise Meryl looked at her
and liked her. She was poised, and self-reliant,
and safe
IF Id had sense" thought Meryl, Il
would have stood on my own feet and planned
my life, instead of getting dazzled. Instead
of getting stars in my hair"
1t was too late to think of all that now.
The golden bowl was broken. All that re-
manned was to pick up the pieces. She un-
furled her dinner napkin and looked about
her, wondering how many people in the saloon
knew who she was Wondering how many re-
rlembered she was suspected of numbering
her husband For all she knew. one of them
might still be paid to spy on her. to watch
her, waiting for her to give herself away.
Until the last minute she had half expected
to be forbidden to leave England.
They had let her go. But they might still
haul her back She shivered violently and
hoped no one noticed, and gave her attention
to her table companions Eren Steere.
Surely Hilyard had sometimes spoken of him.
But he was behaving very oddly now. Surely.
surely thought Lady Harbinger, appalled, -
he can't be and went no further.
Next him sat the girl who had such a pretty
name: Laurelle Rose. Nobody seemed to do
much talking. Maybe Enen Steere was still
suffering the aftereffects of farewell parties.
Not that it mattered Not that anything
mattered. All she wanted was to get home.
To be safe
The Captains voice doomed in her direc
ton Unexpectedly, breaking into her vast
preoccupation But surely, Lady Harbinger.
you can instruct us on this subject. I've read
in the papers that Harbinger has very in
dividual ghost
She felt it again, the creeping icy horror
She had imagined she was getting away from
it. but it came up behind her. She snelt the
damp cold smell of Harbinger The stone floor,
always sweated little. She heard the echoing
footsteps there. like unearthly voices whisper
ing. Whispering together things she did not
understand She saw Collins face, those
strange cold eyes of his, and heard his voice.
fiat, unmoved: We'll. there it is. don't my
self believe word of it. But that is the story
of Harbinger.
She heard the sound of the sea making odd
sucking noises under the foundations at high
tide. the curlews crying in the gray dawn.
Everything she had hoped to escape from,
that she wanted to forget, came back to her
in sick wave Of misery She saw Miss Mala-
disc get to her feet She saw the Doctor hurry
over from his corner
They had a farm on Long Island. They
were a~,Ng questionable family. Eight of
them The springs in the chairs were always
broken The rugs lay in Crumpled heaps
about the floor where dogs and children had
skidded on them Mrs. Adamson didn't care.
She was easygoing.
They all laughed a great deal. and ate ice
cream cones, and went bathing in Long Island
Sound with their friends. The Mad Adam
sons, people called them. 1t didn't matter.
They we're very happy: Meryl. Desiree.
Joyce Alison and Hellie; Tim, Alec, and
Bruce.
Mrs. Adamson had long since given up
being BEAUTIFUL but she was very kind. Peo-
pie flocked into her house, much preferrlng
If to their own Mr. AdamSOn was called Pop