Canadian fiction -- 20th century; Detective and mystery stories
At this point she hesitated for a long time looking all around her like
a person wishing to make finally sure that she was not followed. As
long as she stood still nothing stirred of course. Suddenly she put
her head down and ran like a deer for the woods. As soon as she was
within cover she stopped and looked back. Her pursuers were startled
into showing themselves openly on the path. Three of them. Pen ran on
to the little temple and flung herself down to recover her breath and
await developments. She sat within the little circle of pillars with
an arm flung across the cool gravestone and her cheek pillowed on it.
It was quite dark there.
But nothing happened. Nobody came plunging after her into the little
opening. Not a sound was to be heard. The excitement of being chased
died down, and a chill of apprehension struck to Pen's breast. What
were they up to? They couldn't possibly see what she was doing in the
little temple. Why didn't they find out then? The suspense became
unbearable. Each minute was an age. She could have screamed aloud.
Then she heard a twig snap--not in the direction of the path by which
she had come, but on the other side of the clearing. It instantly
became clear to her what was happening, and her breast quieted down.
She heard other whispers of sounds, the brush of leaves against a
passing body, a released pebble rolling down the bank. Naturally if
they thought Don was in there with her they had to take their
precautions. They had sent for help maybe. Certainly they were now
surrounding the place.
Then absolute silence fell again, and moment by moment her breast
became tighter. It was worse now because she could feel the presences
around her. Why didn't they do something? Suddenly a wicked little
thought occurred to her. She smiled and at the same time shook with
fear. She commenced to murmur half-audibly to herself. It was only a
nursery rhyme, but she meant it to sound like conversation.
It worked. A dazzling white beam suddenly flashed in her face. Pen
screamed and scrambled to her feet. She did not have to act that. But
oh! it was a relief to have it over with. As she stood up other lights
were thrown on her. She could see nothing for the shifting, blinding
circles. Some were held on her, others ran all over the place like
quicksilver, like scrambling little devils of light nosing in the
corners. One even ran around under the dome as if it expected to find
Don clinging there like a bat.
From behind one of the glares came Delehanty's growling voice: "Where
is he?"
"Who?" said Pen. She was cool enough now.
"You know who I mean!" He checked on oath.
"I am alone here," said Pen.
"What did you come here for?"
"To pray," she said demurely.
"Hah!" He was hard put to it to control himself. "What place is this?"
"The tomb of my ancestors."
Somebody threw a line on the grave stone. The beautifully carved
Gothic script was sharply outlined. A voice began to read:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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