The face itself was beyond her power of analysis. Line for line it was
Laurie's features, mouth, eyes and hair; yet its signification was not
Laurie's. One that was akin looked at her from out of those windows of
the soul--scrutinized her cautiously, questioningly, and suspiciously.
It was the face of an enemy who waits. And she sat and looked at it.
A full minute must have passed before she spoke. The face had dropped
its eyes after the first long look, as if in a kind of relaxation, and
remained motionless, staring at the fire in a sort of dejection. Yet
beneath, she perceived plainly, there was the same alert hostility;
and when she spoke the eyes rose again with a quick furtive
attentiveness. The semi-intelligent beast was soothed, but not yet
reassured.
"Laurie?" she said.
The lips moved a little in answer; then again the face glanced down
sideways at the fire; the hands dangled almost helplessly between the
knees.
There was an appearance of weakness about the attitude that astonished
and encouraged her; it appeared as if matters were not yet
consummated. Yet she had a sense of nausea at the sight....
"Laurie?" she said again suddenly.
Again the lips moved as if speaking rapidly, and the eyes looked up at
her quick and suspicious.
Pages:
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338