She had decided, since Miss
Baker was not at home, that she would run over and see Maria; possibly
she could have lunch there. At any rate, Maria would offer her a cup of
tea.
Old Grannis stood for a long time just as Trina had left him, his hands
trembling, the blood coming and going in his withered cheeks.
"She said, she--she--she told her--she said that--that----" he could get
no farther.
Then he faced about and entered his room, closing the door behind him.
For a long time he sat in his armchair, drawn close to the wall in
front of the table on which stood his piles of pamphlets and his little
binding apparatus.
"I wonder," said Trina, as she crossed the yard back of Zerkow's house,
"I wonder what rent Zerkow and Maria pay for this place. I'll bet it's
cheaper than where Mac and I are."
Trina found Maria sitting in front of the kitchen stove, her chin upon
her breast. Trina went up to her. She was dead. And as Trina touched
her shoulder, her head rolled sideways and showed a fearful gash in her
throat under her ear. All the front of her dress was soaked through and
through.
Trina backed sharply away from the body, drawing her hands up to her
very shoulders, her eyes staring and wide, an expression of unutterable
horror twisting her face.
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