Part 48 (2/2)
”Curse her traps! What do I care for her traps? She can't set one which will catch me. The money's there, and the money's mine--and I'll get it.”
”Then get it. It will be useful to you just now, even if there's less than a quarter of a million.”
”Useful!--my G.o.d!--useful!” Stretching out her arms on either side, she drew a long breath. ”But, Luker--that's the mischief!--it's in his room; the one in which he died.”
”Well; you've told me that already--what of it?”
”What of it? Why!”--she laughed; there was something in the sound of her laughter which caused him to bunch himself together, as if touched by a sudden chill--”I daren't go in it.”
”You daren't go in it? What do you mean? The house is your own, isn't it? What's there to be afraid of? Who's to keep you out?”
”That's it!--I don't know! I don't know! Luker, there's something come over me lately; I didn't used to be troubled with nerves.”
”You didn't.”
”I never was afraid of anything--or any one.”
”You weren't; you've always had the devil's own courage since you were a girl.”
”There's been nothing I daren't do.”
”It would have been better for you, perhaps, if there had been something; there's such a thing as daring to do too much.”
”You think so? Perhaps that's it; perhaps I have dared to do too much.”
”As to that you know better than I do; I'm not your father confessor, nor wish to be. The Lord forbid!”
”I don't know how it is, but, lately, I've gone all to pieces.
I'm afraid of all sorts of things. When that girl came this morning I was afraid of her; she frightened me out of my senses.
I thought she was a ghost; I couldn't have moved or spoken to save my life; I listened to her like a stuck pig. Luker, things have upset me more than I thought anything could have done.
I'm--I'm all a bundle of nerves.”
”It's that stuff you've been drinking.”
”Stuff? What stuff?”
”When I was at your place yesterday I saw a decanter lying on the table; some of the contents had been spilled. I dipped my finger into the stuff and tasted it. It was ether. When women of your temperament take to drinking ether, that's an end of them.”
”But I've got to drink it!--I've got to! I never touch it unless I'm forced! Luker, if I didn't, sometimes, I should go stark, staring mad.”
”Then you'll go stark, staring mad. Ether's a royal road to madness for such as you. Better stick to gin.”
”Gin!--gin's no good; a barrelful would be no good when I'm like that.”
”I see--that's the point you've got to.” He was eyeing her intently. ”Is there any particular reason why you should be afraid of going into the room where that man died?”
She became instantly conscious of the keenness of his scrutiny, perceiving that in it there was a new quality. Her manner changed.
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