Will You Love Me in September

And so I turned to Sabrina ... the only one of whose fidelity I could be absolutely sure.

The doctor arrived. He shook his head gravely. It was a nasty blow I had had on the back of my head. My arms and legs were grazed too, but fortunately the baby appeared to be unharmed by the adventure. As for myself, I was very shocked-perhaps more than I realized just now. I must rest for several days and take nourishment. If I did so, he believed I would be myself in a week or so.

The news spread. Madame Legrand had been chased by a Gypsy and now I had actually been attacked in the woods. The next day Aimee came running in from the woods in a breathless state. She had been chased by a figure in a dark cloak with a concealing hood which hid the face. She had been terrified and had just managed to reach the edge of the woods before the apparition caught up with her. As she came into the open her pursuer disappeared.

"It is some madman disguising himself with the hood and cloak," declared Lance. "I'll set people to watch in the woods. He has to be caught.”

This he did, but the apparition seemed to have learned that he was being looked for and made no appearances.

I recovered quickly. Sabrina was constantly with me, and I began to be glad of what had happened because of the change it had wrought in her. She had never forgotten that it was her disobedience which had cost her mother her life. Now she had saved mine and felt she had expiated her sin. Through her a life had been lost; now, through her, one had been saved.

I loved to have her near me, tasting my food, as she insisted on doing. She was now even talking about the baby and admiring the clothes which were being prepared for the child.

I found that I had lost a garnet brooch during my adventure. It wasn't very valuable but was precious to me because Damaris had given it to me long ago.

I told Sabrina. I said, "The clasp was weak, and when I was dragged along the ground it must have come undone.”

"I'll find it for you," said Sabrina, confident in her powers to do everything she set her hand to.

> "It's lost forever, I daresay. Don't go into the woods alone.”

| She was silent, nodding her head.

It was two days later, when I was having my afternoon rest, when she burst in on me.

That she was excited was obvious. Her hands were grubby and she looked as if she had been digging up the earth.

"Oh. Clarissa, what do you think I've found!”

"My brooch?”

She shook her head, and for once even Sabrina was at a loss for words. Then she said slowly, "Look. I found it near the dene hole. It's Jeanne's Jean-Baptiste.”

I stared down at the little plaque with the chain attached. Soil was sticking to it. As I took it and held it, memories of Jeanne came flooding back, of her showing me this when I was a child, her Jean-Baptiste, which had been put about her neck when she was born and which she must wear until the day she died.

I felt sick. And it had been found near the dene hole.

Thoughts crowded into my mind. I was there again ... lying on the ground . I was being dragged along with obvious intent. Someone had planned to throw me down the dene hole. Could it have been that Jeanne had met the same murderer and that there had been no one to rescue her?

But no. Her clothes had gone. My jewels had gone and only the bezoar ring had been recovered.

Wild thoughts were racing through my head.

Lance said the dene hole must be searched. No one, as far as he knew, had ever been down there before, but that was no reason why someone should not go down now.

All the men in the estate were with him. They all knew of Jeanne's disappearance, and now that this ornament had been found near the dene hole, it seemed significant.

For I could testify, and so could others, that Jeanne had taken off her Jean-Baptiste only to wash, and she had always said that she would wear it till she died.

Several men volunteered to go down the dene hole. Stakes were brought, with a thick rope ladder. There was excitement throughout the community and everyone was talking about the prowler in the woods. They were certain that Jeanne had been his victim.

I remember that afternoon well. It was hot-the beginning of July-and in the woods practically the entire neighborhood had gathered. Lance had said I must not be there.

In any case, the doctor's orders were that I should rest every afternoon. Sabrina stayed with me, although I knew she was longing to be in the woods.

At length Lance came to my room. His face was pale and for once very serious.

"Poor Jeanne," he said. "We misjudged her. She's hardly recognizable ... but her clothes are down there and her old cloth bag ... do you remember? The one she brought with her from France.”

I covered my face with my hands. I could not bear to look at Lance nor Sabrina.

Jeanne-dear, good, misjudged Jeanne, how could we ever have thought she was a thief?

We should have known.

"It's a mystery," said Lance. "The jewelry was missing. What can it mean?”

Aimee had come into the room.

"I heard you come in, Lance," she said.