Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-10-17

&c DldZeQ, Will you keep quiet oil
stop trying to break my wrist
lie Mary Helen hasn't said one wor'
to me about you, not one; but i
20 you 60 on like this I'll begin tt
,e think you are crazy! I'm sick O.
y being dragged into family quar-
h relS, that's all, and I'll thank vol
d not to accuse me of listening tt
:, scandalous nonsense!"
The hand fell away, and Nella
: began to laugh helplessly and then
to sob and then to laugh again.
! With a great thrill of relief,
I Georgine saw coming down the
e path a flash of yellow that was
2 Mary Helen's sweater; and, mo-
y. ment after, heard Barbys shrill
tones in the distance.
Georgine was shivering, partly
from strain and partly from the
renewed vigor of the headache, be-
fore they reached the house.
} Georgine got Barby upstairs and
in bed. There was no sign of Todd,
who might have quoted her
nerves. There was no more aspirin
in her suitcase.
THAT puts the lid on" she said
wildly, half aloud. "And we went
right by the drugstore. I could
have got it in a minute"
what, Georgine?" said Nella's
voice from the doorway. She suf-
fered one of those galvanic starts
to which the afternoon had made
her subject. Nothing, Nella, only
the aspirin" she said vaguely,
clasping her temples.
rs that all! Why on earth didn't
you ask me? l have something bet
ter than aspirin, much better for
pai2 of any kind" said Mrs. Pea
BODY; and gave her a charming
smile. She turned toward the
stairs.
There" Nella Peabody said
with quiet satisfaction. "That'll fix
you up beautifully. You'll sleep,
now. l can guarantee it."
What was it that had awakened
her? The first instructive listen
ing for the sound of hoarse breaths
from the cot fell away; there :
was no sound across the room. i
When had she heard a turning
knob, and felt cool draft across
her neck?
The door opening and closing,
twice, three times? =. No, it was
no use.
There was some kind of a noise
right now, teasing at her ears. Not
overhead; she knew that sound; in
the attic there was nothing but
silence.
She reached out for the bedside
lamp and pressed it's switch; there
was no answering glow.
Her bedroom door was opening;
there was that tiny rattle that the
latch made, and a current of air
along the floor. She twisted about
quickly, soundlessly. She couldn't
see the door; the hall outside was
as dark as this room; but she
heard the faint closing whish that
meant it had been pushed to with :
'ut quite closing. -
"Who is it," Georgine said in
larsh whisper. who's there?"
She seemed to be frozen in this
gesture, crouching by the bed, her
lead on a level with the pillow.
Again there was that swift in
axe of breath from across the
DOM, and whisper answered her.
Dear Georgine, who did you
mink it was?"
The scream that had been rising -
her throat died abruptly. She =
hight have let it out a minute be-
're, but for waking her child into a
ldden terror. Now she thanked n
eaven for her silence. p
mot you, Todd?" she whispered y
credulously. "Is something the v
atter?" r,
mo. Why?" 1t came on the mer- "
It breath from the darkness, and ,
staccato sound followed, as if of L.
suodued chuckle. Feet moved l.
owly, almost inaudibly, across -
e carpet, as if he were cropping.
She waited a moment. There
ere the infinitesimal noises again,
ushlng the carpet, and some
ing added: soft patting as if of
nds against some fiat surface,
q clink from the direction of
e dressing-table. 81 don't know
lat gave you the idea you could
me into my room" =,
Georgine felt the rouphness of y
: blanket against her face, where .
crouched cold and sick beside
: bed. She felt dismay rising in
throat as if it were a tangible
ng.
It isn't Todd, she thought. It =
1T be Todd.
Inc whisper was no longer dis
bodied. 1t was beside the bed
ldlng over the place where she
'uld have been lying, feeling
IDLY about the bedclothes, un-
the pillows.
ieorglne was rocked by a wave
'uch fright as she had never felt
her life. Not Todd bending
hin a few inches of her, but !
leone else-someone who had
ueht she was asleep. Z
Ter hands were pressed flat on
carpet, chilly in the draft that !
ked along the floor. Her finger y
touched smooth leather: her t
per-Still hidden in the black o
dow of the bed, she caught up y