“Yes, you must tell her,” Joe agreed.
Sol rapped on the woodwork of the wall at the bottom of the stairs with his big knuckles. The sound rose sudden and echoing in the house. Ollie was heard opening her door.
“Missis Chase–oh, Missis Chase!” called Greening.
“Who’s that, who’s that?” came Ollie’s voice, tremulous and frightened, little above a whisper, from above.
“It’s Sol Greening. Don’t come down here, don’t come down!”
“What was that noise? It sounded like a gun,” said Ollie, a bit nearer the head of the stairs, her words broken and disjointed.
“Something’s happened, something mighty bad,” said Sol. “You stay right where you are till I send the old woman over to you–do you hear me?–stay right there!”
“Oh, what is it, what is it?” moaned Ollie. “Joe–where’s Joe? Call him, Mr. Greening, call Joe!” 120
“He’s here,” Sol assured her, his voice full of portent “he’s goin’ away with me for a little while. I tell you it’s terrible, you must stay right up there.”
“Oh, I’m so afraid–I’m so afraid!” said Ollie, coming nearer.