The Last of Mrs. DeBrugh
By H. SIVIA
[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Weird Tales October1937. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.copyright on this publication was renewed.]
"Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum,"you've been a fine maid. You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most offifteen years. Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want youto know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well takencare of."
Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneledstudy. She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa,puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.
"You mustn't talk that way, Mr. DeBrugh," she said. "You know you're along time from the dark ways yet." She paused, and then went on dustingand talking again. "And me—humph—I've only done what any ordinaryhuman would do to such a kind employer as you, sir. Especially after allyou've done for me."
He didn't say anything, and she went on with her work. Of course sheliked to work for him. She had adored the kindly old man since first shehad met him in an agency fifteen years before. A person couldn't ask fora better master.
But there was the mistress, Mrs. DeBrugh! It was she who gave Lettycause for worry. What with her nagging tongue and her sharp rebukes, itwas a wonder Letty had not quit long before.
She would have quit, too, but there had been the terrible sickness shehad undergone and conquered with the aid of the ablest physicians Mr.DeBrugh could engage. She couldn't quit after that, no matter whatmisery Mrs. DeBrugh heaped on her. And so she went about her work at allhours, never tiring, always striving to please.
She left the study, closing the great door silently behind her, for oldMr. DeBrugh had sunk deeper into the sofa, into the realms of peacefulsleep, and she did not wish to disturb him.
"Letty!" came the shrill cry of Mrs. DeBrugh from down the hall. "Getthese pictures and take them to the attic at once. And tell Mr. DeBrughto come here."
Letty went for the pictures.
"Mr. DeBrugh is asleep," she said, explaining why she was not obeyingthe last command.
"Well, I'll soon fix that! Lazy old man! Sleeps all day with that smellypipe between his teeth. If he had an ounce of pep about him, he'd getout and work the flowers. Sleeps too much anyway. Not good for him."
She stamped out of the room and down the hall, and Letty heard her openthe door of the study and scream at her husband.
"Hector DeBrugh! Wake up!"
There was a silence, during which Letty wondered what was going on. Thenshe heard the noisy clop-clop of Mrs. DeBrugh's slippers on the hardwoodfloor of the study, and she knew the woman was going to shake thedaylights out of Mr. DeBrugh and frighten him into wakefulness. Shecould even imagine she heard Mrs. DeBrugh grasp the lapels of herhusband's coat and shake him back and forth against the chair.
Then she heard the scream. It came quite abruptly from Mrs. DeBrugh inthe study, and it frightened Letty out of her wits momentarily. Afterthat there was the thud of a falling body and the clatter of an upsetpiece of furniture.
Letty hurried out of the room into the hall and through the open door ofthe study. She saw Mrs. DeBrugh slumped on the floor in a faint, andbeside her an upset ash-tray. But her eyes did not linger on the woman,nor the tray. In