FETZER CLOSES A DOOR
Fetzer presently dried her tears and, remembering a message which was
to be delivered to Miss Knowlton, smoothed her hair which was already
smooth and went down to the office. When she entered both women looked
up in surprise.
"Where is Ellen?" asked Miss MacVane. "Is she going to stay? It's too
early to go back to school."
"Ellen," repeated Fetzer. "Is she here? Do you mean our Ellen?"
Miss MacVane grew a little pale and Miss Knowlton turned her head
quickly.
"She came in a long time ago and I sent her to find you. I told her
that Dr. Lanfair was in his room and that you'd take her to speak to
him."
"Did she go upstairs the front way?" asked Fetzer.
"She must have," answered Miss Knowlton.
"How long ago was this, then?"
"A half-hour," said Miss MacVane.
"It's much longer than that," corrected Miss Knowlton. She rose, her
cheeks scarlet. Ellen should have followed directions.
"Doctor should have some nourishment," she said sharply. "I'm going to
take him a cup of iced broth."
Then to her astonishment Miss Knowlton found her way barred. Fetzer had
closed the door and placed herself in front of it. She stood again in
the hall on a hot August afternoon and saw Ellen's look. A flame leaped
to life in her heart, then died down, leaving only glowing embers. She
believed that she knew what was happening in Stephen's quiet room. As
for these poor souls, they had had no experience of life. She looked at
them with the utmost kindness.
"I wouldn't go now," she said, flushing. "He'll ring when he
wants"--she had meant to say "you," but she said valiantly "us." Then a
sound startled her, almost shocked her. It was a man's laugh, hearty,
clear, happy, ringing through the quiet house, and penetrating the
closed door. She laid her hand on the side of her face, the tips of her
fingers covering the black patch, and smiled a brave smile. All of them
heard the laugh again.
"Ellen, she will make him happy," said Fetzer in her pleasant idiom.
"He deserves to be happy," said Miss MacVane soberly after another
moment of silence.
Miss Knowlton, who was younger, said nothing. She returned to the inner
room, and there with automatic regularity of motion lifted bottles from
a shelf which had not been dusted to one which had.
THE END
Transcriber's Note:
Page 190
always unobstrusive _changed to_
always unobtrusive