A

s Betsy was chanting this Latin incantation, Jane grew agitated and for a moment I thought she was on the verge of fainting. But Whitlander took her by the arm and pulled her out of doors. I stayed for a moment to confront Betsy.

"Yes, turn and flee, you snake!" cried Betsy after the two women.

"Now see what you have done, Mrs. Corning!" I said. "This ghastly display of eccentricity and malice and spleen is supremely unattractive. I am sorry if you are jealous of that pretty young lady, but that is no reason at all for this grotesque behavior."

"But Oliver! It is not jealousy. She is truly evil and she wanted me to join forces with her and become evil too - that is the way of those who tread the left-hand path. But I refused and so she has done her worst in revenge. She knew the best way to hurt me was to threaten you."

"And you expect me to take you seriously when you suggest that Lady Jane isn't who she seems to be but rather this Regina Serpent you mentioned?"

"Serpens Regina Abyssum" she corrected me, "and you must believe me. I would not invent such a thing. She is a force of supernatural evil. Did you look into her eyes? Whom did she remind you of?

"Of her aunt, Lady Hilliard."

"Yes - the unblinking eyes of ice-blue. Nobody else has such eyes as that. Oliver, she is Lady Hilliard."

"What!?" I cried. "Just when I believe you could not possibly say anything more bizarre, you prove me wrong. You are suggesting that the good dame, a solid citizen of Darlington, and Vice President of Ladies Missionary Society, is a creature of mystical malevolence? You truly have gone mad, Betsy. I will ask Doctor Hayes to examine you this very night - he is in attendance at the party. "

"There is no need for that, Oliver. Please send those two home and then return to me and I will explain it in detail. I realize it must seem very strange to you, but I can prove much of what I claim."

"I will escort them home myself. I will speak to Doctor Hayes on my way out."

"But Oliver!"

"Good day, Madame." I said and immediately went to find Lady Jane.

(To be continue...)