"Take
those people away!" she cried.
The eyes of Winthrop were filled with pity. "Vera!" he said,
"Vera!"
For an instant, against the tenderness and reproach in his voice
the girl held herself motionless; and then, falling upon the
shoulder of Mrs. Vance, burst into girlish, heart-broken tears.
"Take them away," she sobbed, "take them away!"
Mannie Day and Vance closed in upon the visitors, and motioning
them before them, drove them from the room.
Part III
The departure of the District Attorney and Miss Coates left Vera
free to consider how serious, if she carried out her threat, the
consequences might be. But of this chance she did not avail
herself. Instead, with nervous zeal she began to prepare for her
masquerade. It was as though her promise to Winthrop to abandon
her old friends had filled her with remorse, and that she now,
by an extravagance of loyalty, was endeavoring to make amends.
At nine o'clock, with the Vances, she arrived at the house of
Mr. Hallowell. Already, to the same place, a wagon had carried
the cabinet, a parlor organ, and a dozen of those camp chairs
that are associated with house weddings and funerals; and while,
in the library, Vance and Mannie arranged these to their liking,
on the third floor Vera, with Mrs. Vance, waited for that moment
to arrive when Vance considered her entrance would be the most
effective.
This entrance was to be made through the doorway that opened
from the hall on the second story into the library.
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