Aunt Olivia and Uncle Roger , Aunt Janet and Uncle Alec , came strolling through the orchard and joined our circle , as they sometimes did when the toil of the day was over , and the magic time ` twixt light and dark brought truce of care and labour . 'T was then we liked our grown-ups best , for then they seemed half children again . Uncle Roger and Uncle Alec lolled in the grass like boys ; Aunt Olivia , looking more like a pansy than ever in the prettiest dress of pale purple print , with a knot of yellow ribbon at her throat , sat with her arm about Cecily and smiled on us all ; and Aunt Janet 's motherly face lost its every-day look of anxious care . The Story Girl was in great fettle that night . Never had her tales sparkled with such wit and archness . `` Sara Stanley , '' said Aunt Olivia , shaking her finger at her after a side-splitting yarn , `` if you do n't watch out you 'll be famous some day . '' `` These funny stories are all right , '' said Uncle Roger , `` but for real enjoyment give me something with a creep in it . Sara , tell us that story of the Serpent Woman I heard you tell one day last summer . '' The Story Girl began it glibly . But before she had gone far with it , I , who was sitting beside her , felt an unaccountable repulsion creeping over me . For the first time since I had known her I wanted to draw away from the Story Girl . Looking around on the faces of the group , I saw that they all shared my feeling . Cecily had put her hands over her eyes . Peter was staring at the Story Girl with a fascinated , horror-strickened gaze . Aunt Olivia was pale and troubled . All looked as if they were held prisoners in the bonds of a fearsome spell which they would gladly break but could not . It was not our Story Girl who sat there , telling that weird tale in a sibilant , curdling voice . She had put on a new personality like a garment , and that personality was a venomous , evil , loathly thing . I would rather have died than have touched the slim , brown wrist on which she supported herself . The light in her narrowed orbs was the cold , merciless gleam of the serpent 's eye .
I XXXXX frightened of this unholy creature who had suddenly come in our dear Story Girl 's place .
creeping fascinated felt liked looking lost said sat sparkled tell