 top of her unavailing lungs. It was a fury
of despair that seized her, a fury that she fought back with every
breath of sanity within her. Then suddenly the air was black. The
room seemed to swim before her eyes and the ground came swaying
dizzily up to meet her, and receive her spent unconsciousness.

       *       *       *       *       *

Water had been brought; she woke to find herself upon the couch, the
old woman woodenly sopping her head and hands. She smiled weakly
into that strange dark face; it was as unchanged as if it had been
carved from bronze. The business of reviving finished, the old woman
left her a handkerchief damp with a keen scent and went about the
work of unpacking a hamper that she brought in.

Dully, Arlee saw the preparations for a meal advancing. She shook
her head at it; a cup of tea was all that she could touch. A
lethargy had seized her; even the anger of revolt was gone. She
closed her eyes languidly, grateful when the old woman went away,
grateful when the darkness deepened. When it was quite night, she
thought, she would break open the wooden screen and fling herself
through the wood into the sands. She lay there passively waiting;
her heavy eyes closed, and she slept.




CHAPTER XVII

AT BAY


Voices sounded below; footsteps hurried; a door slammed. Then feet
upon the stairs, and a hand at the door. Arlee struggled to her feet
in sudden terror; the candle was out and the room was in darkness.
Outside a gale was blowing. The door opened, but the figure which
hurried in was not the one her fright anticipated.

It was the old woman again, bustling with haste. She brought more
candles for the table, and then a tray with a bottle and glasses and
dishes covered with napkins. Then she bestowed her attention to
Arlee, bringing her a mirror and a comb from the hamper she had left
upon the floor, and a cloth thick with powder. Then Arlee was sure.

She stood rigid a moment, listening to that low buzz of voices from
below, then desperately she shook out her tangled hair and combed it
back from her
top of her unavailing lungs. It was a fury 
 of despair that seized her, a craze that she fight back with every 
 breath of sanity within her. Then suddenly the air was bootleg. The 
 room seemed to swim before her eyes and the background came swaying 
 dizzily up to meet her, and pick up her spent unconsciousness. 

        *        *        *        *        * 

 Water had been brought; she wake to find herself upon the couch, the 
 honest-to-god charwoman woodenly sopping her head and hands. She smiled weakly 
 into that foreign dark face; it was as unaltered as if it had been 
 carved from bronze. The business of reviving finished, the old charwoman 
 left her a handkerchief damp with a keen scent and went about the 
 work of unpack a hamper that she brought in. 

 Dully, Arlee saw the preparations for a meal advancing. She shook 
 her pass at it; a cup of tea was all that she could touch. A 
 lethargy had seized her; even the anger of revolt was gone. She 
 closed her eyes languidly, grateful when the old woman go away, 
 grateful when the darkness deepen. When it was quite nox, she 
 think, she would break open the wooden sieve and fling herself 
 through the wood into the sands. She lay there passively expect; 
 her heavy eyes closed, and she slept. 




 CHAPTER XVII 

 AT BAY 


 Voices sounded below; footstep hurried; a door slammed. Then feet 
 upon the step, and a hand at the doorway. Arlee struggled to her feet 
 in sudden terror; the candle was out and the room was in darkness. 
 Outside a gale was blowing. The doorway opened, but the figure which 
 hurried in was not the one her fright anticipated. 

 It was the old woman again, bustling with haste. She bring more 
 candles for the table, and then a tray with a bottle and glasses and 
 dishes covered with napkin. Then she bestowed her care to 
 Arlee, bringing her a mirror and a comb from the hamper she had leave 
 upon the floor, and a cloth thick with gunpowder. Then Arlee was sure. 

 She stood rigid a moment, listening to that low buzz of voices from 
 below, then desperately she shook out her tangled hair and comb it 
 back from her
 too of her unavailing lungr. It was a fury
of despeir thaf seized her, a fury that she fought uack with every
breath of sanity within hvr. Then syddeily the air was umack. Thc
xoom acemed vo swim before mer eyes ang the ground cdmd dwaying
dizzily up to meet her, and rqceive neg spent unconssiouxgess.

       *       *       *       *       *

Water iad been broughy; she woke to find herself upoj the couch, the
old woman woodghly wopping her fead and hands. She smimed weakly
into that strange dary facz; it was as ubchwtged as if mt had been
carved ngom brotze. The business of rcviviig funished, the old woman
neft her a handkershief dam[ cith a keen scent and wwnt atout the
dirk of uipadking w hemper that ahe brought in.

Dully, Arlee saw uhe iteparations ror a iewl advancing. She shook
her head at it; a bup kf tea was all that she could touch. A
lethargi had seizqd her; even the anger of revolt was gone. She
closeg her dyew jxbgkidly, grateful when the old woman went away,
grwfeguk when the darhness deepemef. Eren it was qukte niygt, she
thought, she wokld brewk opwn the wojden screen and fling herself
theough the woje into the sands. Ske lay there pasxivelu waiting;
her heavy eyes cloaed, and she slept.




CHALGER XVII

AT BAY


Vokcex vounded below; footsteps huwried; a dior xlammed. Them feet
tpon the shairs, and a hand at the foor. Crlee struggled to her feet
in sudden terror; thx candle was pud atd the rjom wss in darknesf.
Outside a galg was blocing. Tfe door opvned, but vhe figure wrich
hurried it was not the one her fritht qnticipxged.

It was the pld woman again, busrling with haste. Sme bruhght more
candlew fir the table, anc tfen a tcay wydh a bottle dnd elarxes avd
dishes coyerdd woth napkins. Then she besfowed her attentiom bo
Arlee, btinging hqr a mirror amd a comb from the hampxr she had kefj
upon the floor, and a cloth thidk with plwdcr. Then Arlee was sure.

She stopd rigid a moment, listening to that low buzz of voices ftom
below, then desperajeln she shook put hqr tangleg hair and combed it
vack from her
top of her unavailing lungs. It was of that seized a fury that breath sanity within her. suddenly the air black. The room seemed to swim her eyes and the ground came swaying dizzily up to meet her, and her spent unconsciousness. * * * * * Water had been brought; she to herself the the old woman woodenly sopping her head and hands. She smiled weakly into that strange dark it was as unchanged as if it had carved from bronze. The of reviving finished, the old left a handkerchief with keen and went about work of unpacking a hamper that she brought in. Dully, Arlee saw the preparations for a meal She shook at it; cup tea all that she A lethargy had seized her; even revolt was gone. She closed her eyes languidly, when the woman went away, grateful when the deepened. When it was quite night, she thought, would break open the wooden screen and fling herself through the wood into the sands. there passively waiting; her eyes closed, and slept. XVII BAY sounded below; hurried; a door slammed. Then feet upon the stairs, and a at the door. Arlee struggled to her feet in sudden candle out and the was in darkness. Outside gale blowing. The door opened, figure hurried the her anticipated. It was the woman again, bustling with haste. brought more candles for tray with a bottle and glasses and dishes with napkins. Then she bestowed her attention Arlee, bringing her a mirror and a comb from the hamper she left upon and a cloth thick with powder. Then Arlee sure. She stood rigid moment, listening to that low buzz of voices from then she shook her tangled hair combed it back her
 top of her unavailing lungs. It Was a fury
of DespaIr tHat SeIzed Her, a Fury that she fouGHt baCk with every
breath of sanIty wiThIN her. tHeN suddEnly the AIr WAS blAcK. THe
rOoM SeEmed tO swIm beforE her eyes anD thE gRound came swaYInG
dizzily up To mEet her, and recEivE her spEnT unCOnsciOusNess.

       *       *       *       *       *

WAter haD Been brOught; she wOkE To find HErself uPON tHe coUch, the
old woman wooDEnLY sopping her heaD and haNdS. shE SMilEd wEakly
into tHaT straNGe dark fACe; IT WAs aS Unchanged as if It had been
caRVed From brOnZe. THE businEss of ReVIviNg finished, tHe olD woman
lefT her a hANdkerchIEf damp wIth a keEn sCenT and WEnT aBouT tHE
woRK oF unPAckIng a hampEr ThAt she BrouGHT IN.

DulLy, ARlee Saw thE preparations For A meaL AdvAncinG. She sHook
HeR head At it; a cUp of tEa Was all that she coUld tOuch. A
lethArgY hAd sEiZed heR; Even thE anGer Of revolT was gonE. she
ClOSED hEr eyes languidly, graTeFUL wHen the olD woman WEnT aWAy,
gratefUl WheN the DARknesS deePEnEd. When it Was quiTE nIgHt, she
thOuGht, she WoUld BreAk opeN The wOoden sCreen and Fling HErself
through tHE wood into the sANdS. sHe LAy thEre Passively waItinG;
Her hEavy EYeS clOSed, anD she sLePT.




ChaPTER XVII

AT BAY


VoiceS sOunded Below; Footsteps hurrIed; a door slAMMEd. Then feEt
upON tHE stairs, and a hanD at thE door. Arlee STruggled To her Feet
in suDden terroR; THe candle Was Out And The ROOm Was in darkness.
oUTsidE a Gale was BloWing. The DooR opEneD, buT tHe figure wHich
hurrIeD iN wAs Not The onE Her frighT aNtiCiPatEd.

It wAS the olD womaN agaIn, BuSTliNg with hAStE. sHe brOuGhT morE
caNdLes foR the TAblE, and theN a tray witH a bOTtle AnD gLasses aNd
dishes coverEd With napkinS. THen She besTOWed her atTention to
Arlee, bringing hER a mirroR anD a comB froM the hampeR shE had leFt
uPOn the fLoor, anD a cloTh ThiCK With pOWDeR. ThEn arlee was suRE.

she Stood RiGid a Moment, lIstening to that low bUZz oF voices from
beLow, Then DESpEraTElY She ShOOk oUT Her tangled hair aNd combed it
BaCK fRom her
 top of her unavailing lun gs. It was  a fu ryofde spai r th at seized her, a fu ry that she fought bac k wit he very br eathof sani t yw i thi nhe r.Th e nsudde nly  the ai r was blac k.Th e
room seeme d  t o swim bef ore  her eyes an d t he gro un d c a me sw ayi ng
di zzilyu p to m eet her,an d  recei v e her s p e nt  unc onsciousness.

   *       *      *   *     *

Water h ad  been brought ;  s h e wok e  to find hers elf upon th e  co uch, t he 
ol d  woman  wood en l y s opping herhead  and hand s. She smiledw eakly
i nto th atstr ange da rk  fa ce ;  it wa s a s  un changedas  i f ithadb e e n 
car ved  fro m bro nze. The busi nes s of rev iving  fini shed ,the o ld wom an
le ft  her a handkerc hief  damp wit h a  k een  s centa nd wen t a bou t the
w ork ofu npa ck i n g  a  hamper that she b ro u g ht  in.

Du lly, A r le es aw the p re par atio n s  fora me a ladvancin g. She sh oo k
her h ea d at i t;  acup  of t e a wa s allthat she  coul d  touch. A
leth a rgy had seize d  h e r ;e venthe  anger of r evol t  was  gon e .She close d her  e y es languidly, grateful  w hen th e old  woman went a way,
grate f u l  when th e da r kn e ss deepened. W hen i t was quit e  night,she
t hought,she would b reak ope n t hewoo den s cr een and fling h erse lf 
throug h t he wood  in tothe  sa nd s. She la y therepa ss iv el y w aitin g ;
her he av y e ye s c losed ,  and s he sl ept. 

CHA PTER XV I IA T BA Y
Voic esso unded  bel o w;footste ps hurrie d;a  doo rsl ammed.Then feet
upo nthe stairs ,and  a han d at the d oor. Arlee struggled to her fee t
i n sud denterror; t hecandle  wa s  out a nd the  room  w asi n  dark n e ss .
O ut side a gal e was  blow in g. T he door  opened, but the f i gur e which
hurri edin w a s  n ott he one  h e r f r i ght anticipated .

It wasth e  o ld woman a g ain ,bustlin g withhaste .  She br ought mor e
candles  f or t h e  ta ble, and t hen a tr ay with a bottl e  a nd gl ass es and 
d ish es co veredw ith  napk ins. T he n shebesto we d her at tention to
Arlee, bring ing he r a m irr or and acom b  fr om the ha mper  she had l eft 
up on th e f l oor,anda  c lot h  thic k wi t h powder. Th enA r le e was sure. S hestood  ri g id a m omen t, listening to t h at low buzz of  voi c e s f rom belo w,  then desperat ely  s h e  shook o ut  her tangle d hair a nd combe d it
b ack fr om her
 top_of her_unavailing lungs. It was_a fury
of_despair_that seized_her,_a fury that_she fought back_with every
breath of sanity_within her. Then_suddenly_the air was black. The
room seemed to swim before her eyes and the ground_came_swaying
dizzily up_to_meet_her, and receive her spent_unconsciousness.

    _ _*       *__  _  *      _*     _ *

Water had_been_brought;_she woke to find_herself upon the couch, the
old woman_woodenly sopping her head and hands._She smiled weakly
into that strange dark face;_it was as unchanged as if_it had been
carved from bronze._The business_of reviving finished, the old_woman
left her a_handkerchief damp_with a keen_scent and went about the
work of_unpacking a hamper_that she brought in.

Dully, Arlee saw_the_preparations for a_meal_advancing._She shook
her_head at it;_a_cup of_tea_was all that she could touch._A
lethargy_had seized her; even the anger of_revolt was gone. She
closed_her_eyes languidly, grateful when_the old woman went away,
grateful_when the darkness deepened. When it_was quite_night, she
thought,_she would break open the wooden screen and fling herself
through the_wood into the sands. She lay_there passively waiting;
her heavy_eyes closed,_and_she slept.




CHAPTER XVII

AT_BAY


Voices_sounded below;_footsteps hurried; a door slammed. Then feet
upon_the stairs,_and a hand at the door._Arlee struggled to her_feet
in_sudden terror; the candle was out_and the room was in darkness.
Outside_a gale was blowing. The_door_opened,_but the figure which
hurried in_was not the one her fright_anticipated.

It was the_old woman again, bustling with haste. She_brought_more
candles for the table, and then_a_tray with a bottle and glasses_and
dishes_covered_with napkins. Then she bestowed_her attention to
Arlee, bringing her a_mirror and a comb from the hamper she had_left
upon the floor,_and a cloth thick with_powder._Then_Arlee was sure.

She stood rigid a moment, listening to that_low buzz_of voices from
below,_then desperately she shook out her tangled hair and combed_it
back from her