Page:The strange experiences of Tina Malone.djvu/21

Rh I seemed to be conscious somehow of a third person being present.

It seems unbelievable but over in the corner there I seemed to know of a shadowy something and to know that Naomi and I were not alone.

I had always laughed at omens, superstitions, and ghosts, but I had had that feeling once or twice before when I was with her.

I gave her the book on my way out. I had promised to go out to see someone—and did not reach home till rather late.

It was getting dark. I threw myself down in the comfortable arm-chair I kept in a cosy corner with its back to the light, and threw my head back, and gave myself up to a lovely feeling of rest.

An irresistible feeling came over me to go down and see what Naomi was doing.

It seemed a silly thing to go down just to say good-night. I knew she must be tired after having worried about getting things ready all day.

I put the feeling aside but it seemed to take possession of me and at last I gave way to it and went.

"Are you there, Naomi?"

"Yes, come in," she said.

She was sitting with Hedda Gabler open as if she had been reading it. Her head was bent over it and her hands clasped tight with her fingers interlocked and pressed—fingers outward—tight against her forehead. She did not move as I came in. The lamp burned bright on the table before her.

"Headache?" I asked breaking the silence.

"No—anything but," she said.

She would not look up at me at all and I sat quiet wondering.

"I've finished your 'Hedda,'" she said, "how you can like her I don't know."

"I didn't say I liked her," I said, "except for her artistic value. I like the play."

"You're the queerest mixture of theory and practice," she said. "She was a beast to those aunts, and you believe in kindness."

"Oh, Naomi, those aunts were rather troublesome," I said.

No, not a word of praise for Hedda.

But there was something strange and mysterious about her that night. She did not stir while I was there but just looked up to say good-night.

"If you could let me have your latch-key, dear, when you go out on Saturday, I might take my things up in the morning," she had said.