“I don’t know,” she said with a shiver. “I––I can’t describe it. It’s to do with Will. It’s to do with”––she glanced about her fearfully––“his money, his gold find. Don’t question me, because I don’t know why I’m afraid. I think I first got afraid through Elia. He’s a queer lad––you don’t know how queer he is at times. Well”––she swallowed as though with a dry throat––“well, from the first, when––when Will found gold Elia laughed. And––and every time we speak about it he laughs, and will say nothing. Oh, I wish I knew.”
“Knew what?”
Annie’s question came with a curious abruptness. Eve stared. And when she spoke it was almost to herself.
“I don’t know what I want to know. Only I––I wish I knew.”
Annie suddenly came over to her friend’s side. She took her hands in hers and squeezed them sympathetically.
“Eve, I don’t guess I’ve got anything to say that can help you. But whenever you want to talk things that’ll relieve you, why, you can just talk all you like to me. But don’t you talk of these things to any other folk. Sure, sure, girl, don’t you do it. You can just trust me, ’cause I’ve got so bad a memory. Other folks hasn’t. I’ll be goin’ now to get my man’s dinner. Good-bye.”
She bent over and kissed the girl’s thin cheek with a hearty smack. But, as she left the house, there was a grave light such as was rarely, if ever, seen in her merry eyes.