The Hollow of Her Hand | Page 8

"For God's sake, madam," he began. But as he spoke, her expression
changed; she seemed to be aware of their presence for the first time.
Her eyes narrowed in a curious manner, and the rigid lips seemed to
surge with blood, presenting the effect of a queer, swift-fading smile
that lingered long after her face was set and serious.
"I neglected to raise the window, Dr. Sheef," she said in a low voice. "It
was very cold in there." She shivered slightly. "Will you be so kind as
to tell me what I am to do now? What formalities remain for me--"
The coroner was at her side. "Time enough for that, Mrs. Wrandall. The
first thing you are to do is to take something warm to drink, and pull
yourself together a bit--"
She drew herself up coldly. "I am quite myself, Dr. Sheef. Pray do not
alarm yourself on my account. I shall be obliged to you, however, if
you will tell me what I am to do as speedily as possible, and let me do
it so that I may leave this--this unhappy place without delay. No! I
mean it, sir. I am going to-night--unless, of course," she said, with a
quick look at the sheriff, "the law stands in the way."
"You are at liberty to come and go as you please, Mrs. Wrandall," said
the sheriff, "but it is most fool-hardy to think of--"
"Thank you, Mr. Sheriff," she said, "for letting me go. I thought
perhaps there might be legal restraint." She sent a swift glance over her
shoulder, and then spoke in a high, shrill voice, indicative of extreme
dread and uneasiness:
"Close the door to that room!"
The door was standing wide open, just as she had left it. Startled, the
coroner's deputy sprang forward to close it. Involuntarily, all of her
listeners looked in the direction of the room, as if expecting to see the
form of the murdered man advancing upon them. The feeling, swiftly
gone, was most uncanny.
"Close it from the INSIDE," commanded the coroner, with
unmistakable emphasis. The man hesitated, and then did as he was
ordered, but not without a curious look at the wife of the dead man,
whose back was toward him.

"He will not find anything disturbed, doctor," said she, divining his
thought. "I had the feeling that something was creeping toward us out
of that room."
"You have every reason to be nervous, madam. The situation has been
most extraordinary,--most trying," said the coroner. "I beg of you to
come downstairs, where we may attend to a few necessary details
without delay. It has been a most fatiguing matter for all of us. Hours
without sleep, and such wretched weather."
They descended to the warm little reception-room. She sent at once for
the inn-keeper, who came in and glowered at her as if she were wholly
responsible for the blight that had been put upon his place.
"Will you be good enough to send some one to the station with me in
your depot wagon?" she demanded without hesitation.
He stared. "We don't run a 'bus in the winter time," he said gruffly.
She opened the little chatelaine bag that hung from her wrist and
abstracted a card which she submitted to the coroner.
"You will find, Dr. Sheef, that the car my husband came up here in
belongs to me. This is the card issued by the State. It is in my name.
The factory number is there. You may compare it with the one on the
car. My husband took the car without obtaining my consent."
"Joy riding," said Burton, with an ugly laugh. Then he quailed before
the look she gave him.
"If no other means is offered, Dr. Sheef, I shall ask you to let me take
the car. I am perfectly capable of driving. I have driven it in the country
for two seasons. All I ask is that some one be directed to go with me to
the station. No! Better than that, if there is some one here who is
willing to accompany me to the city, he shall be handsomely paid for
going. It is but little more than thirty miles. I refuse to spend the night
in this house. That is final."
They drew apart to confer, leaving her sitting before the fire, a stark
figure that seemed to detach itself entirely from its surroundings and
their companionship. At last, the coroner came to her side and touched
her arm.
"I don't know what the district attorney and the police will say to it,
Mrs. Wrandall, but I shall take it upon myself to deliver the car to you.
The sheriff has gone out to compare the numbers. If he finds that the
car