Page:The strange experiences of Tina Malone.djvu/38

38 then we heard what we thought was Naomi's door being opened and Alice said:

"I'll go down now and see if it is she."

"Alice, see if you can make her make friends," I said. "Ask her to come in at least and say good-bye to me."

Alice nodded and ran down.

But though I stayed up for nearly an hour later packing, no one came. I heard them pass my door and Alice tapped and called "good-night" and they went on.

I let myself fall back on my heels and stopped packing.

What could it have been? What did they mean?

The silence of my empty rooms and this being treated as if I were a leper puzzled me. Why couldn't she let the thing pass for a tiff and blow over as so many other trifling quarrels had done.

The night I had tried to turn it from tragedy to comedy with the help of a tin-opener, I passed her as she was going to post a letter.

"Oh, Naomi!" I breathed just as she passed me.

"Tina Malone," she returned, "if you don't send me a written apology for that letter I'll put it in the hands of my brother-in-law who is a medical man."

"Then I shall take it in to a friend of mine who is a legal man," I said with still a feeling of melodramatic comedy at such childishness.

When I found after this that she would only speak to me through locked doors my temper rose one day.

"Very well, then," I said. "If you mean this to go on I'll take it to that friend of mine who is in the law."

I took it and was told after the letter had been read that it would only have the laughter of the court if such a thing should happen. I knew it and only took it because my sister had been flustered and begged me so hard to write an apology and have done with it.

"I will not," I said. "If I apologise it is putting myself in the wrong. I never meant any harm to her by it. I said it was unhealthy here because they fussed over trifles and she knows it."

To the last minute I expected her to come up and with just a word to have set things right. But she and the White Priestess, now sworn friends, went about their business together till Diana flew to the country.

Then, when, on returning to my empty rooms to clean out the rubbish, I caught an accidental glimpse of her it was too insolent that she should expect me to forgive her as she crossed the street to me with a smile.

It needed some courage to do it for it ended a companionship that had been very congenial, but a fierce pride at having been so treated, kept my eyes on the ground as I passed her by.