ALICE TWINING, MARTYR
Early the next morning Polly ran over to the Home. She was eager
to hear how Miss Twining's new plan had worked. As she neared her
friend's door, however, a murmur of voices came from within, and
she kept on to the third floor, making her way straight to the
corner room.
Juanita Sterling met her with a troubled little smile.
"What is it?" she asked quickly, looking beyond to Mrs. Albright
and Miss Crilly. Their excited faces emphasized the other's
doubtful greeting.
"Nothing," spoke up Mrs. Albright,--"only Miss Twining has had a
time with Miss Sniffen."
"What about?"
"Money," answered Miss Sterling wearily. "It is lucky for the rest
of us that we don't have any."
"That same money?" persisted Polly.
"No, dear." Mrs. Albright drew up a chair beside her--"Come sit
down, and I'll tell you about it. I've been telling them, and we
have got a little wrought up over it, that's all."
"I should think anybody'd get wrought up!" put in Miss Crilly. "I
guess it will be the death of poor Miss Twining!"
"No, no, it won't! See how you're scaring Polly!"
The girl glanced beseechingly from one to another.
"What is it? You're keeping something back!"
Mrs. Albright patted the chair invitingly. "Come here! I'm going
to tell you every word I know."
"She was so happy yesterday!" mourned Polly.
"She will be again, dear."
"Looks like it!" sniffed Miss Crilly. "I believe in saying the
truth right out!"
"Katharine Crilly, you just mind your own business!" laughed Mrs.
Albright.
"To begin at the beginning,"--she turned toward Polly,--"I was
knocking at Miss Twining's door yesterday afternoon when she came
up the stairs. So I went in with her and stayed a little while.
She was in fine spirits. She had been to see an old friend of
hers, a member of the Board, and this lady had given her the same
amount of money that Miss Sniffen had--"
"Stolen!" burst out Miss Crilly.
"I'm telling this story!" announced Mrs. Albright placidly. "But
Miss Twining said," she resumed, "that she had promised not to
divulge the name of the lady to any one. So I don't know who it
is. On her way home she had bought a book that she had wanted for
a long time. I told her she'd have to look out or she would get
caught reading it; but she said they always knocked before coming
in, and she should have time to put it on the under shelf of her
table--where the cover partly hides it. I said, 'Well, you look
out now!' and she laughed and promised she would.
"In the evening, as I was sitting alone, I heard talking, and I
went to my door to listen. I thought I knew the voice, and when I
opened the door a crack I was sure whose room it came from. 'Oh,
I'm afraid she's caught her again!' I said to myself, and I waited
till I heard somebody go softly away and down the stairs. Then I
stole over to Miss Twining.
"It was just as I had feared! She was reading all so nice, when
without a mite of warning in sailed Miss Sniffen! Of course she
asked her where she got the book, and she said it was given to her.
But she wouldn't tell the woman's name. Miss Sniffen couldn't get
it out of her! She talked and threatened; but Miss Twining
wouldn't give in. Finally she vowed she'd have it out of her if
she had to flog it out! I could see that Miss Twining was all
wrought up and as nervous as could be--as who wouldn't have been!"
"Oh!" gasped Polly. "It's just awful! Did she whip her?"
Mrs. Albright shook her head and went on.
"Miss Twining said that Amelia Sniffen used to go round in society
with her youngest brother, Walter, and that she was dead in love
with him. Walter fairly hated her, and never paid her the least
attention when he could get out of it; but she would put herself in
his way, as some girls will, until he was married and even
afterwards. And when Alice Twining came here and found that Miss
Sniffen had been appointed superintendent she was almost a mind to
back out; but she hadn't any other place to go, so she stayed, and
she said Miss Sniffen had seemed to take delight in being mean to
her ever since. Well, it's a tight box that Amelia Sniffen has got
herself into this time!" Mrs. Albright sighed.
"Please go on!" whispered Polly.
"Yes, dear. I got Miss Twining to bed, and she quieted down a
little. Finally I left her and crept back to my room. I don't
know what time it was,--but after eleven,--I woke dreaming that I
heard my name called. I jumped up and ran and opened the door.
Everything was still. But I waited, and pretty soon I heard a voice
in the room opposite. I rushed across the hall--the door was
locked! 'Miss Twining! Miss Twining!' I called, two or three
times. At first nobody answered; then Miss Sniffen came over to
the door and said, 'Shut up and go to bed!' I asked her to let me
in, but she wouldn't. I said things that I shouldn't have dared to
say if I'd been cooler; but I'm glad I did! After a while I went
back to my room, and I took out my key and hid it. I was afraid
she'd lock me in. She did mean to, but for once she got fooled. I
lay still as a mouse, hearing her fumble round my door. Finally
she went downstairs. When I was sure she'd gone for good I took my
key and stole across the hall. Sure enough, it unlocked the door,
just as I hoped it would. Oh, that poor child was so glad to see
me! Miss Sniffen had come up prepared to give her a whipping! She
had brought a little riding-whip with her! But the very sight of
it so upset Miss Twining, in her nervous state, that she had a bad
turn with her heart,--you know her heart always bothers her,--and
once she gave a little cry. Of course, Miss Sniffen didn't want
any rumpus, and she just clapped her hand hard over Miss Twining's
mouth. She says she doesn't know whether it took her breath away
suddenly, or what; but she fainted! When she came to, Miss Sniffen
was rubbing her--I guess she was pretty well frightened! There
wasn't anything more said about whipping! After she made up her
mind that Miss Twining wasn't likely to die right off, she and the
riding-whip left."
"Oh, dear, what will become of us!" cried Miss Crilly. "We are not
safe a minute!"
"You shall be!" Polly burst out excitedly. "I'm going to tell Mr.
Randolph everything about it!"
"Polly! Polly!" Miss Sterling laid a quieting hand on her shoulder.
The girl threw it off. Then she caught it to her lips and kissed
it passionately. "I can't bear it! I can't bear it!" she cried.
"To think of you all in such danger! You don't know what she'll
do!"
"I don't think we need have any fear until she gets over her scare
about this," said Mrs. Albright reassuringly. "She seems to me
pretty well cowed down. Her eyes looked actually frightened when I
caught her off guard. You see, she's in a fix! She knows Miss
Twining needs a doctor; but, of course, he would ask first thing
what brought this on, and she couldn't make the patient lie it out."
"I guess lying wouldn't trouble her any," put in Miss Crilly.
"Dear Miss Twining!" murmured Polly plaintively.
"She is a sweet little woman," Miss Crilly sighed.
"How is she this morning?" asked Polly.
"I hardly know what to tell you," hesitated Mrs. Albright. "I
think if Miss Sniffen would keep away she'd be better. Still, when
she got up and tried to dress, she fainted again. Now Miss Sniffen
has told her to stay abed, and she has put a notice on her door
that she is too ill to receive visitors."
"Then can't you go in?" queried Polly anxiously.
"I do," chuckled Mrs. Albright. "They'd have to do more contriving
than they've done yet to shut me out!"
"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Polly. "But she ought to have a doctor!
I suppose if she did it would be that Dr. Gunnip--He's no good!
Father says he's little more than a quack and he isn't safe. I
wish father could see her; but he can't unless he is called. It is
too bad! I believe I'll go straight to Mr. Randolph!"
"I don't dare have you," returned Mrs. Albright. "He would, of
course, favor the Home, and if Miss Sniffen should hear of it--"
"Before I say anything I shall make him promise not to tell."
"I'm awfully afraid to let you do it--oh, Polly, don't!" Miss
Crilly was close to tears.
"Had you rather die?" she demanded. "You may be sick yourself and
want a doctor! How are you going to get him?"
"If I'm sick I bet I'll make such a fuss they'll send for a
doctor--and a good one too!" cried Miss Crilly hysterically.
Polly had risen, and Miss Sterling drew her within the circle of
her arm. "When the time comes we'll decide what is best to do,"
said she.
"I should think the time had come now!" the girl fumed. "Poor Miss
Twining! It's just an outrage!"
"Oh, I forgot!" Mrs. Albright bent toward Polly, with lowered
voice. "She gave me something for you, dear."
"Me?" Polly calmed at once.
"Yes. When I was with her in the night I think she feared that her
heart might give out, and she said, 'If anything should happen, I
wish you would give Polly those papers in my portfolio--or you may
give her the whole portfolio. She will understand.'"
"Oh, I know! Yesterday morning she was planning to write some
poems, and those must be the 'papers.' But perhaps she won't want
me to have them now."
"She spoke of it again to-day," nodded Mrs. Albright. "She said
she should somehow feel easier for you to keep them."
"I hope Miss Sniffen won't rummage round and get hold of them
first," returned Polly anxiously.
"I guess she won't find 'em in a hurry!" chuckled Mrs. Albright.
"They're in my room!"