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Walpole, Hugh, Sir, 1884-1941

"The Captives"


"It's better. It's better," he cried, as though he were shouting
himself down, and then pushing Aunt Anne with his arm he hurried out
almost running, his steps stumbling down the stairs.
Maggie ran to the door. Her aunt stopped her, holding her back.
"It's better, Maggie dear," she said very gently, repeating Martin's
words.
The sound of the hall door closing echoed through the house.
Maggie struggled, crying again and again: "Let me go! Let me go! I
must go with him! I can't live without him! Let me go!"
She fought then, and with one hand free hit Aunt Anne's face,
twisting her body. Then, suddenly weak, so that she saw faintness
coming towards her like a cloak, she whispered:
"Oh, Aunt Anne, let me go! Oh, Aunt Anne, let me go! Please, please,
let me go!"
Suddenly the house was darkened, at her feet was a gulf of
blackness, and into it she tumbled, down, far down, with a last
little gasping sigh of distress.


PART III
THE WITCH

CHAPTER I
THE THREE VISITS

On a spring day, early in March of the next year, 1908, Mathew
Cardinal thought that he would go and discover how his niece was
prospering.


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