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When I reached the ward, I could see that Agnes’s bed was the only one with a light A azine aside and tiptoed in er to his lips We spoke briefly in low tones The , he said Now that I was here, he had his regular duties to attend to If I needed anything, I could find him at the nurses’ station down the hall He ht light in which Agnes slept The counterpane on her bed was a heavyweight cotton, harsh white, her thin fra the flat coverlet She snored softly Her eyes see as she tracked soht hand clutched at the sheet, her arthritic knuckles as protuberant as redwood burls Her chest was flat Coarse whiskers sprouted fro her froif she’d sail away right before etic Now, she reminded me of certain old cats I’ve seen whose bones see, so close are they to fairylike

I glanced at the clock Twelve minutes had passed When I looked back, her black eyes were pinned onstartling about her sudden watchfulness, like a visitation froo," she whispered

"It won’t be so bad I hear the nursing home is lovely Really It’ll be aze became intense "You don’t understand I want to stay here"

"I do understand, Agnes, but it’s just not possible You need help Irene wants you close so she can take care of you"

She shook her head erous Help’s fine," I said My voice sounded too loud I loweredtoward her "You remember Irene?"

She blinked atwhether to admit to it or not She nodded, her voice treirl," she said She reached out and I took her shaking hand, which was bony and hot, surprisingly strong

"I talked to Irene a little while ago," I said "Clyde’s found a place close by She says it’s very nice"

She shook her head Tears had leaped into her eyes and they trickled down her cheeks, following deeply eroded lines in her face Hershe couldn’t seem to articulate

"Can you tell le, and her voice, when it cahtly fro "Emily died I tried to warn her The chiround rolled Oh, I could see… it was like waves in the earth Her head was bashed in by a brick She wouldn’t listen when I told her it was dangerous Let it be, I said, but she had to have her way Sell the house, sell the house She didn’t want roots, but that’s where she ended up… down in the ground"

"When was this?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation afloat

Agnes shook her head mutely

"Is that why you’re worried? Because of Emily?"

"I heard the niece of the owner of that old house across the street died several years ago She was a Harpster"

Oh, boy We were really on a roll here "She played the harp?" I asked

She shook her head ith "Harpster was herin the Citizens Bank and never irlfriend of his She left because of his te She had no idea The other Harpster girl was a dancer and married Arthur James, a professional accordion player ned a o over to his place and he would play for us after he locked the door," she said "It’s a sirls said their uncle’s house was their second hoht still be there if he left it to her She’d help"

I watched carefully, trying to understand as going on Was there really sohtened to talk about? "Was Emily the one who married Arthur James?"

"There was always souely, her tone resigned

"Was this in Santa Teresa? Maybe I could help you if I understood"