Page:The traitor; a story of the fall of the invisible empire (IA traitorstoryoffa00dixo).pdf/136

 a time, and fell sprawling across the top landing. She reached Stella's room gasping for breath.

Stella turned leisurely from her mirror.

"What on earth's the matter, Maggie?"

"De Jedge say ef you doan come dar dis minute he gwine ter come up here and slap yo head off!"

"As bad as that, Maggie?"

"Yassam. He flung a big book at me an' hit me right in the head jes case I tell im what you say. Didn't ye hear it?"

Stella continued deliberately curling the ringlets about the edges of her raven hair.

"Go back and tell him I'll be down in a minute."

"Yassum. I spec he kill me dis time."

Stella finished her hair, sat down by the window and read a novel for ten minutes and then slowly descended the stairs.

The Judge sat slouching low in his chair, and Larkin rose with the instinctive impulse of a gentleman on Stella's appearance.

The girl stared coldly at her father, noted his dressing-gown, turned hastily toward the stairs and began to ascend.

"Excuse me," she said to him with pointed insolence, "I thought you were waiting to receive me."

"Look here, my child, I've no time for silly