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"LIZ, WHAT ARE YOU-" ANNE GOT NO FARTHER She stared blankly at the pistol I stood without a word looking at Elizabeth’s pale, tension-sick face For all ht; for all my celebrated awareness, I was as astounded by this as if I’d never sensed a thing

"Liz, what is this?" Anne said

Elizabeth’s eyes were terrible to look at

"You," I said, incredulously, "you?"

"Don’t you talk to er started to tense on the trigger

"Elizabeth?" Anne didn’t understand It was obvious by the confused, distraught sound in her voice

"You had to meddle, didn’t you?" Elizabeth said to un away"

"You’d like that, wouldn’t you?" she said "You’d like it if the police had taken it away from me But they didn’t-because Frank said it was an accident Wasn’t that nice of hi for e her voice

"What is this?" Anne demanded to know

"May I sit down?" I asked Elizabeth

"May you sit down," she echoed scornfully "What’s the difference what you do?" I sat down slowly so the movement wouldn’t startle her I put my hand over Anne’s

"Liz?" asked my wife

"Don’t youher "A pretty picture" It started as scorn but ended in alun-"

"Shut up!" A tear sped down her cheek but she didn’t see from you"

"Elizabeth, what is it?" Anne asked, still not knowing

"Elizabeth is the-" I started to tell Anne

"Stop whispering!" Elizabeth ordered

"Liz, you’ll wake up-" Anne broke off as, with a bolt of panic, I squeezed her hand sharply

"-Richard?" finished Elizabeth, her eyes glittering "Your baby?" I heard Anne gasp in a breath of air "What?" she murmured

"Tell us about it, Liz," I said, quickly "If we can help we’ll-"

"Help- " Her laugh was a sick, convulsive sound "You’re going to help ive me back my baby? You are?"