"Oh, yes, I should--I should--" I stammered; I couldn't move; I couldn't
look away from him.
I seemed face to face with some foolish, grinning masque of horror. My
heart beat as I think a bird's must when a snake has eyed it; and a cold
moisture broke out upon me.
"Oh, yes, I should!" I cried as I broke loose from the spell of terror,
and made some halting excuse to get rid of him. I didn't dare even wait to
see him leave the room, but fled from it myself, conscious as I went of
his open-mouthed stare, and of his detaining: "Aw, now, Miss Winship--"
To get as far away as possible, I retreated to the kitchen, where I
surprised Nora and Annie in conclave. They seized the opportunity to "give
notice." Nora has a sweetheart and is to be married; Annie has invented
the excuse of an ailing mother, because she dares not stay alone with me.
They are both afraid, now that Mrs. Whitney--selfish creature!--has gone,
and left me helpless against the world.
At any other time the news would have been a fresh calamity--for how can I
pay them, or how get rid of them without paying? But with the memory of
that awful scene in my head, I could think of nothing else.
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