Although she did not know him she responded to his
command to tell him of what she was afraid, and poured out a story of
terror. "_Mano, nera, mano nera_--the Black Hand," she repeated over
and over again, and Edward, who had heard her history, realized that
something she had seen had set her mind in the old train of thought.
While Miss Merriam attended to the children he calmed the woman and
then turned her over to Mrs. Schuler with instructions to put her to
bed in a darkened room and to see that some one stayed with her or just
outside her door.
Fortunately for the doctor his experience with the people among whom
his father worked in his East Side chapel had given him a smattering of
many languages and he was able to make out from Mrs. Tsanoff, although
her fright and fatigue had made her forget almost all the English she
knew, what had terrified her companion. They had gone to the
stationery shop of the Englishman who also sold ice cream and soda, she
said, and they had had each a glass of soda and the children had each
had an ice cream cone.
Edward groaned and over his shoulder directed Delia to run and tell
Miss Merriam that both babies had had ice cream cones.
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