My Sister's Hand in Mine Read Online Free PDF

in a blue business suit.
    â€œMay I sit beside you?” he asked them. “I have met this young lady before,” he said, shaking hands with Mrs. Copperfield, “but I am afraid that I have not yet met her friend.” He turned and nodded to Miss Goering.
    Mrs. Copperfield was so annoyed at the interruption that she neglected to introduce Miss Goering to the gentleman. He drew up a chair next to Miss Goering’s and looked at her.
    â€œI have just come from a most wonderful dinner,” he said to her, “moderate in price, but served with care and excellently prepared. If it would interest you I can write down the name of the little restaurant for you.”
    He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a leather billfold. He found only one slip of paper which was not already covered with addresses.
    â€œI will write this down for you,” he said to Miss Goering. “Undoubtedly you will be seeing Mrs. Copperfield and then you can pass the information on to her, or perhaps she can telephone to you.”
    Miss Goering took the slip of paper in her hand and looked carefully at the writing.
    He had not written down the name of a restaurant at all; instead he had asked Miss Goering to consent to go home with him later to his apartment. This pleased her greatly as she was usually delighted to stay out as late as possible once she had left her home.
    She looked up at the man, whose face was now inscrutable. He sipped his drink with calm, and looked around the room like someone who has finally brought a business conversation to a close. However, there were some sweat beads on his forehead.
    Mrs. Copperfield stared at him with distaste, but Miss Goering’s face suddenly brightened. “Let me tell you,” she said to them, “about a strange experience I had this morning. Sit still, little Mrs. Copperfield, and listen to me.” Mrs. Copperfield looked up at Miss Goering and took her friend’s hand in her own.
    â€œI stayed in town with my sister Sophie last night,” said Miss Goering, “and this morning I was standing in front of the window drinking a cup of coffee. The building next to Sophie’s house is being torn down. I believe that they are intending to put an apartment house in its place. It was not only extremely windy this morning, but it was raining intermittently. From my window I could see into the rooms of this building, as the wall opposite me had already been torn down. The rooms were still partially furnished, and I stood looking at them, watching the rain spatter the wallpaper. The wallpaper was flowered and already covered with dark spots, which were growing larger.”
    â€œHow amusing,” said Mrs. Copperfield, “or perhaps it was depressing.”
    â€œI finally felt rather sad watching this and I was about to go away when a man came into one of these rooms and, walking deliberately over to the bed, took up a coverlet which he folded under his arm. It was undoubtedly a personal possession which he had neglected to pack and had just now returned to fetch. Then he walked around the room aimlessly for a bit and finally he stood at the very edge of his room looking down into the yard with his arms akimbo. I could see him more clearly now, and I could easily tell that he was an artist. As he stood there, I was increasingly filled with horror, very much as though I were watching a scene in a nightmare.”
    At this point Miss Goering suddenly stood up.
    â€œDid he jump, Miss Goering?” Mrs. Copperfield asked with feeling.
    â€œNo, he remained there for quite a while looking down into the courtyard with an expression of pleasant curiosity on his face.”
    â€œAmazing, Miss Goering,” said Mrs. Copperfield. “I do think it’s such an interesting story, really, but it has quite scared me out of my wits and I shouldn’t enjoy hearing another one like it.” She had scarcely finished her sentence when she heard