A sob
formed in the throat of Kate and the wolf turned its head and looked at
her, and the yellow of things that see in the night swam in its eyes. Lee
Haines struck the arm of Buck Daniels.
"Buck, let's get clear of this. Let's start. He's coming."
At the whisper Buck turned a livid face; one could see him gather his
strength.
"I stick," he said with difficulty, as though his lips were numb. "She'll
need me now."
Lee Haines stood in a moment's indecision but then settled back in his
chair and gripped his hands together. They both sat watching the door as if
the darkness were a magnet of inescapable horror. Only Joan, of all in that
room, showed no fear after the first moment. Her face was blanched indeed,
but she tilted it up now, smiling; she stole towards the door, but Kate
caught the child and gathered her close with strangling force. Joan made no
attempt to escape. "S-sh!" she cautioned, and raised a plump little
forefinger. "Munner, don't you hear? Don't you like it?"
As if the sound had turned a corner, it broke all at once clearly over them
in a rain of music; a man's whistling.
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