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Miss Warren swooped down upon the small parcel with the avidity of some bird of
prey. He was a good-natured giantof a man, with the build of a prize-fighter.
She crossed the landing to her own room, and then turned to give
furtheradvice.
Stephen bristled with defensive instinct, although he knew that
Newtonsattitude was reasonable. Oates made an effort to relieve the tension, as
she rose from herchair. Then she held it out, so that Helen might see it.
Oates, in his grey woollen cardigan, was eating a huge.
No man would ever look
at me,while the Professors daughter-in-law was by.
The tide of her curiosity
was running strongly when, at long last, sheentered the blue room. It was her
duty, if any unauthorized personwas secreted in the house. Rejecting it in
favor of a backless gown of pale-pink angel-skin, shedrew it over her head.
Miss Warren came to the door, in answer to her knock. Oates who was showing
Nurse Barker to her patients room.
I dont want to hear your thoughts, Lady
Warren whined.
But, my lady, said Helen, the new nurse will sleep with you
tonight.
She had to turn her head round, in order to look at the bed. Her back
view, however, was impressive, forshe was unusually tall.
She had to turn her
head round, in order to look at the bed. She felt a little doubtful of the
commission, as she groped with herhand, in the dark recess.
Tell Oates to see
to it, please, he said, with an absent nod.
Helen remembered his words as she
trotted to and fro, between the, tableand the sideboard. Oates poured Worcester
sauce over his fish, and changed the subject.
And are you aware that my mother
has heart-disease, and has been unableto move, for months?
Oates smiled
sheepishly as he tried to return the compliment.
But, first, Ill have a
desperate dig at his highernature.
Almost running into his room, he slammed the
door be hind him, and threwhimself on the bed.
Nurse Barker shook her head,
with a smile full of dark meaning. Toned by the incident, Helen resolved to
test her nerve by a descent ofthe back-stairs.
Helen, who was always ready to
experiment with.
I can manage by myself, Miss CapelHer tone was so-cold that
Helen tried to justify herself.
The dinnerll keep now, till its time to
dish-up, she announced.
Her back view, however, was impressive, forshe was
unusually tall.
The intruder would have to know the habits andtime-table of all
the inmates.
Newton burst into a hoot of amusement at Stephens
discomfiture.
Kitchen-maid it was, found dead in thehouse, with her throat slit
from ear to ear. One of the trees-a tramp, savage and red-eyed-had actually
slippedinside. But your way happens to be my way, my dear, Newton told her. It
wasobviously absurd to be afraid of a bedridden old woman.
Helen had a spasm of
shrinking aversion as she thought of Lady Warrensartificial grin. It
wasobviously absurd to be afraid of a bedridden old woman.
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