Page 66 (1/1)

"Laurie, I wish you wouldn't," said the girl pleadingly

He sat up a little, disturbed by this very unusual air of hers

"But if it's all such nonsense," he said, "what's there to be afraid of?"

"It's--it's ie, "morbid and horrible Of course it's nonsense; but it's--it's wicked nonsense"

Laurie flushed a little

"You're polite," he said

"I'm sorry," she said penitently "But you know, really--"

The boy suddenly blazed up a little

"You seeot no heart," he cried "Suppose it was true--suppose really and truly Amy was here, and--"

A sudden clear sharp sound like the crack of a whip sounded frolanced at the boy He was dead white on the instant; his lips were tre

"What was that?" he whispered sharp and loud

"Just the ork," she said tranquilly; "the thaw has set in tonight"

Laurie looked at her; his lips still an

"Dear boy, don't you see the state of nerves--"

Again came the little sharp crack, and she stopped For an instant she was disturbed; certain possibilities opened before her, and she regarded them Then she crushed them down, impatiently and half ti to bed," she said "This is too ridiculous--"

"No, no; don't leave ain, wondering at his childishness, and yet conscious that her own nerves, too, were ever so slightly on edge She would not look at hiht hint at more than she meant She threw her head back on her chair and re But to think that the souls of the dead--ah, how repulsive!

Outside the night was very still

The hard frost had kept the world iron-bound in a sprinkle of snow during the last two or three days, but this afternoon the thaw had begun Twice during dinner there had co from the roof on to the lawn outside, and the clear sparkle of the candles had seeet at the garden again," she had reflected

And now that the two sat here in the windless silence the thaw became more apparent every instant The silence was profound, and the little noises of the night outside, the drip from the eaves slow and deliberate, the rustle of released leaves, and even the gentle thud on the lawn from the yew branches--all these helped to emphasize the stillness It was not like theof a mouse in the wainscot of some death chamber