Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-26

LIE followed her into the house. The big
hall had an Eighteenth Century look with
a Grandfathers clock mahogany and gilt. and
a Romney portrait of woman over the fire.
place, looking at the staips. which made quite
an architectural feature.
The stairwell was paneled in white painted
wood and the balustrades were white too
with dark mahogany handrail. Even the
sides of the steps had been carved to make a
meaningless series of elaborate little triangles.
He paused a moment to look about him
IT'S no good trying to fathom the Annes-
leys that way" she said. They're all crazy
in different ways"
AN of EN-? Man and wife 2" he asked
Yes. It's catching. you know.
Then he went up the stairs with her These
Annesleys had plenty of money. Even the
upstairs hall was hung with Eighteenth
Century English portraits WITH the place OF
honor given to a Reynolds
Ruth Allen paused at door and gathered
herself for an ordeal That almost masculine
surety was gone. She looked at Cabot alb
sently. with frightened eyes. and her hands
automatically arranged her hat and put her
self in order
Am / all right" asked her soundless
lips.
You're all right" answered Cabot
She acknowledged that with a flash of
smile Then she knocked at the door.
voice that might have been either of man
woman answered and Cabot passed behind
the girl into the sitting room of Mrs. Annes-
ley. 1t dark and grim enough to have
suited man. Englishman, for it
paneled in pine stained deep brown and waxed.
There was a formidable desk with pens and
pencils laid out on the blotter ready for work.
The two bookcases built into the wall
filled with formidable sets in special leather
bindings. usually pigskin which had grown
as dark and hand-polished old saddle.
Oriental rugs usually give cheerful
warmth of color but the this floor
full of lfeless tones of blue and brown in an
undistinguishable pattern. A sea-scape on
one wall showed shipwreck with sky
like thunder and the waves at their hungrIest
but even that catastrophe vas mild compared
with the portrait of the Commodore above the
fireplace. The artist had lavished his Vic
torian sweetness in vain on that brow of IRON
and jaw of brass He looked though he
had just ordered another broadside into a
sinking ship
IN A COUCH near an open window - for
~ air was still warm though II blew from
the - lay an old woman with eyes as
intent and fierce those Of the Commodore.
On the table beside her an open book was
face-down though she had put 1t by a
moment before
Now her hands picked up bit of knitting
and felt for the place where she had left off
her work. She wore riding boots and heavy
riding skirt with a red coat and a stock
wrapped around the Fuckers of her withering
throat. Instead of a blanket or soft throw
she had dropped automobile rug partly
across her body She equipped in short
as though to rise that instant and leave tho
house but it was clear that death already
had entered her whole body except the eyes
and hands
The good bronze which is ingrained by
years of outdoor weathering had been chemi-
cally changed to grey-green. with one blue
vein, like jagged lightning stroke striking
across the forehead. a permanent sign of
wrath.
She looked thin as death as cold as
death, but the last spark of life remaining in
her was as hot as fiery youth. She had turned
to stone except for one touch of radioactive
substance at the core
Here's Bob at last" said Ruth Allen.
Grandmother. began Cabot
Listen to him., said Mrs. Annesley I'm
not your mother. Young man. and you know
perfectly well that there's been nothing grand
about me as far as you're concerned Have
you forgotten to call me Aunt Margaret %
III learn again" said Cabot.
viii you? Yes, you always could learn
a few things particularly how your bread
was buttered. Come here and let me touch
that smooth young face of yours"
She held up a hand and Cabot bent over
the couch. She laid on his face fingers cold
and dry wood, and ran them carefully from
the forehead to the chin. There still was sc
much bright observation in her eyes that he
hardly could believe that she was blind He
noticed that the knitting which lay in her LAP
was an unhappy mixture of clear, orderly bits
with disastrous tangles where the needles had
lost their way. Instead of asking for help
from seeing apparently the old woman
preferred to force her own path through the
darkness
Whats happened?" she asked That's
not the nose Bob Annesley used to weari
ITS the same nose broken" he answered.
"What broke II. then ,"