Show I 1 THE ibis M THE P man say ELIZABETH JORDAN 0 D appleton century co inc service i CHAPTER X continued 26 1 I really hurt her very vers much continued miss hosanna hale took a few fermor anor turns around the room try to understand she contin ai steadily she was quite her gift ibid again cool composed patient wl with th him 1 I was fighting for the little I 1 had in life for the little I 1 1 had ever had for the little I 1 wanted I 1 cant live on without ruth life would be too hideously lonely when you came and began to interfere I 1 got desperate when you put joan in the doctors hands and stopped the milk I 1 got reckless I 1 thought though im not sure of it that jane was getting a little suspicious about the milk I 1 had her leave it in the butlers pantry but before rose took it up I 1 slipped in from the dining room aej and added the mercury once jane came in from the kitchen lust just after I 1 had put the bottle battle back in my pocket I 1 picked up a glass as it if that was what I 1 was after and went out of the pantry several aames Umes aumes a imes when the doses were due the ellk ilk went up to joans room besore I 1 had a chance to prepare it the first time that happened I 1 used my master key and went into joans room during the night she woke I 1 was going to say I 1 had come to close the windows because I 1 was afraid of a storm but I 1 was startled and I 1 got out I 1 dare to risk going again till tonight then I 1 had to add the mercury to the water bottle since you had stopped the milk 1 I thought jane had acted rather queer when rose said no more milk must be sent up it was odd too that she and rose kept so quiet about dabsys death I 1 began to suspect that they were watching me but I 1 dont think they really were she stopped a moment as if turning this over in her mind then well you had stopped the heroin and ruth said she was through with it she continued she told me she had about decided to go to mrs stuyvesant this fall I 1 thought id go crazy when she said that 1 I see hale had stopped before her again and was staring down at her 1 I dont think I 1 did joan much harm she ventured ashes been improving so fast these last weeks she have been much she sought for the word undermined she brought out why you made to nights visit to hurry the finish miss hosanna yes I 1 had to do what I 1 could quickly to do what you could miss hosanna he threw up his hands with a gesture of desperation there was another silence then hale said abruptly ingoing Im going to marry joan miss hosanna im going to marry her right off I 1 think she needs ne miss hosanna nodded 1 I thought you would marry her she said dully she added one reason why I 1 felt hurried and reckless you see everything was pushing me at once yes I 1 see all right now listen to me looking at you miss hosanna hale went on and listening to you sitting there and talking as if you were at an afternoon tea I 1 could strangle you my fingers are itching to do it but my brain tells me you are not wholly responsible youve been badly treated you have brooded blooded over your wrongs till you have become obsessed by them perhaps many women would be who had gone through your experience peri ence I 1 dont know im not judging you but I 1 dont want you around my wife miss hosannas hosannah Hos annas gray head bead with covering ot of sleeping ats r s incongruous net and pins rose higher 1 I expect to go away of course she retorted 1 I will go away at once within a day or two yes rex agreed dully that will be necessary where will you go 90 how can I 1 tell her head drooped and she stared down at the floor you arent giving me much time to make plans if I 1 had the money I 1 would go to california suddenly her features twisted im tired she muttered 1 I want to rest somewhere then ill look lor for a position hale who had been standing before the window looking unseeingly at the water turned and came back to her 1 I will persuade your brother to allow you a living income he said in a level voice and to give you money now to get to california I 1 think th atwill be the best place its a long distance away away from everything she sighed you be so cruel you have your life before you and you will get everything you want but youre young you cant understand you ought to understand one thing though she hurried on my brother will not give me one penny heu hell never forgive me either hes really devoted to joan he wont know he has anything to forgive hale spoke in a low voice As she started and stared at him incredulously he went on we will keep this matter between you and me miss hosanna I 1 cant see that anything would be gained by telling your family about it they would never get over it it would affect them in lots of ways it might make them morbid and suspicious of everyone it might change their whole outlook on life he ended firmly they must never know but how can we manage the words were so low he be hardly heard them say youve youve had a breakdown and that you need rest and change ill see that kneeland makes you a decent allowance Tr trust us t me for that you wont even tell joan jaanto joan least of all no one will ever know miss hosanna you may count on that he turned his eyes away from her brightening face 1 I suppose I 1 have no moral sense he muttered ive never believed in the eye for an eye business especially in cases where no eye has been lost if you had killed joan I 1 could have watched you go to the electric chair all right As it is well something different I 1 let craig off because we want family skeletons rattling in the closets in his way he was as bad as you I 1 feel about you as 83 1 I did about him at times as I 1 listened to you tonight I 1 was almost sorry for you then id realize again to fo f o damned hard to take in this a nightmare but an actual fact its happening oh well ol 01 he made a gesture of futility and went on in a different tone ill talk to your brother tomorrow and ill arrange the income matter satisfactorily you may depend on it her momentary look of relief was gone she sat twisting her hands bands her eyes on the floor hale did not look at her he could not endure another flash bash of relief against that ghastly background later after a year or two he told her you can write your broth 1 joan nodded flushed er that you intend to live in california indefinitely am quite certain he will have no objections to such a plan thank you I 1 think you mean to be merciful she got up and came toward him with outstretched shaking hands but he quickly stepped back out of her reach please dont touch me he said 1 I stand that you can count on me to put everything through though I 1 suppose I 1 can count on you to top to P to be different hereafter she asked under her breath yes you can he interrupted her does mrs spencer forbes realize been going on ruth good god no she must never know notwithstanding his first recoil she caught his arm and clung to him she has been watching you 10 he pointed out she has been worried about me she has seen that something was wrong she was watching bert too she was suspicious about cause she knew hed get joans money i she warned me about him she thought rex yoi will never let her know will you he released his arm and moved moved away from her 1 I wont let her know he ha said dully he hd was recalling mrs spencer forbes words she had been on the wrong track but she had tried to warn him notwithstanding her theories he was grateful to mrs spencer forbes for that go to bed now and get some sleep he said to miss hosanna youre going to have a busy week As he spoke he crossed the room unlocked the door and threw it open she walked past him in silence but her step was as quick and her head bead and shoulders as erect as ever just io so he reflected as he watched her would hosanna kneeland have walked to the electric chair it if she had bad been forced to make that dark journey it 11 i every young man that can walk into a house be the life of bf a house party and disrupt an entire family circle and its guests all within two months hale boasted to his bride a fortnight later they were on an ocean liner bound for france and a months honeymoon it was a pretty thorough job darling joan agreed you ousted doctor craig and mr ainsworth you married me you got uncle cass and bert nicely settled in a cool new york penthouse with jane and banks to look after them you even hustled poor old aunt hosanna off to california for a long rest cure you certainly have been a busy bo boy 7 I 1 suppose youre really called a god in the machine just how does it feel to play with other peoples lives like that im glad the game Is over rex admitted soberly joan looked at him in surprise it like him to be serious it strike you that aunt ho sanna was strangely calm for a nervous wreck she asked after a moments silence that reflection occurred to me a few times 10 rex nodded 1 I suppose she was relieved to have her responsibilities oft off her shoulders he suggested your aunt hosanna rny my love has had a pretty raw deal all her life joan nodded and flushed its one of the things I 1 shan shall always be ashamed of she admit ted 1 I cant understand yet why we were so blind and selfish thata why I 1 added two thousand a year to the paltry fifteen hundred uncle cass settled on her you must teach me to think more of others darling tv well both try to do a bit of that rex said as a thank offer ing tor for being so happy in a pretty grim old world but just for or the present heart of my heart ho he added cheerfully you may concentrate on thinking of melt mel THE END |