Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/115

 she announced, wondering if it was merely an empty stomach that left all the world so suddenly empty.

"But how?"

Sadie briefly but picturesquely retailed to him the happenings of the afternoon. Wilsnach, when she had finished, sat for a luxurious minute or two staring at her in silent approval. Then his gaze went still again to the manila envelope which he now held in his hand.

He sat there, in troubled thought, as Sadie herself went to the window, opened the slats of the heavy colonial shutter and stared out into the gathering darkness of the side-street.

"And it's rainin' pitch-forks!" she declared. Wilsnach looked up at her sharply as she crossed to the hall-door and opened it.

"Zuleika," she called out, "yuh gotta can that turban outfit and get into a rain-coat! Then beat it over to Broadway and loor a taxi back to this cave o' hunger!"

Wilsnach was on his feet by this time.

"What do you want with a taxi?" he demanded.

Sadie eyed him with mild disfavor.

"I'm goin' to feed!" was her ultimatum. "And seein' I ain't et for over seven hours, I'm goin' to