Montana oil and mining journal., 1941-07-26
Patient Miss Peel = 1A.,s-R,-a.

4 She had not yet been about the
room alone. Now, with something al
the feelings Of an adventurous child
she explored every corner. She opened
drawers and fingered their contents.
She took out q gay scarf which she
would give Eileen that day.
She opened the door into the pas
sage and looked out. How odd her own
house seemed, as though it SCARCELY
belonged to herl But how clean the
stair carpet was and how shining the
panes In the windowi The window
looked onto the back garden where the
SWede who came once a week. vas
wedding the flower border. He looked
very strong and virile with his sleeves
rolled up and the muscles showing On
his round arms. Miss Peel had an idea
that Eileen spent good deal Of time
with him on the day he came to work.
But what could you expect2 She was
young. She was human. Yes, there she
was, going across the grass to him.
her apron futtering In the breezel
Miss Peel simply could not resist
going down the stairs. She said 70
herself, II must not 90 down the stairs.
The doctor would be very angry" Then,
as though against her win, she found
herself going down, very carefully, q
step at q time.
At the bottom she stopped to admire
the picture Of the clipper in fun san
that had once belonged TO her great
grandfather. he had been tough old
sea dog and she was not very fond
Of him, but she had always admired
the lovely ship.
She thought she would 90 into the
living room and rest a little. Then
she would ring for Eileen and get
her to help her up the stairs.
Softly she opened the door Of the
room and looked IN. The blinds we're
down and the room was almost dark.
She could scarcely see the furniture
but a strange unearthly, moldy smell
filled her nostrils. She felt to mysti-
fled by it and by the half-discerned
aspect Of the room that she felt she
must be dreaming.
She CROPPED her way to window and
put up the blind. Sunlight came pour
ing In.
But its brilliance only made her feel
more da2ed than before. more certain |
that she was under some nightmarish |
delusion. Yet she could see by the dim /
reflection in the mirror above the |
that she was there IN the |
flesh. The pain in her injured hip was
real enough. She sat down IN one OF |
the two straight-backed chairs, which |
had been her great-grandmot others, to
rest and clear her head. BY degrees |
she became calmer and was able to |
take in the condition Of the room, TO
realize that she was wide awake and /
that what she saw was the result Of |
months of the most brutal neglect.
1t was obvious that, In those long /
Of her confinement, no broom
Or brush had ever touched the rugs
Or floor. They were thick with dust.
The window at the far end had been
left open and the roadside dust had
poured in. Rain had draggled her most
Drized curtains. Wind had beaten them
70 sodden faded rags. She sprang up
and hobbled to the table beside the
window On 1t stood two old family
in their original frames,
md beside them lay the 150-year-old
Bible Of the Peel family. All were
uined.
She made little moaning sounds and
,raced herself with her hands on the
able. She had not known that room
ould be so treated. Surely nothing
Ike this had ever happened to wom-
n beforel To have had her trust so
to have been so hoodwinked J
y an INSCRIPTIONS huzzy Of a girl,
7as enough to kill her, on top Of all I
he had been through.
She must know the worst. She must !
ee the dining room. I
Slowly, to conserve her strength, she
valked, looking straight ahead Of her, Il
lto the hall, crossed it, and opened {
be door Of the dining room. Here, too, Q
be blinds were down but there was 7
ot quite such a smell Of mold and 6
amp. She put them up and surveyed '
he room, prepared, as she thought, for
be worst z
But the living room had not pre- a
ared her for the dirt and disorder v