As it grew on to black dark the wind increased. It shook everything that was not secure. Mary listened to it. She began to be afraid and the fear came on her like something creeping. Something she could not make go away. It was a spreading stain across her mind. She could not make the fear go away with prayer nor memorized verses of Saint Luke nor counting. In the uproar of the windstorm she thought she heard the sound of a hundred horses at a full gallop. She heard the door splintering on its hinges and all the precious civilized collection of objects thrown against the wall, everything
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