Of what use was it ? Jims was dying , and it was my fault -- I had n't been careful enough ! `` Just then -- at eleven o'clock at night -- the door bell rang . Such a ring -- it pealed all over the house above the roar of the storm . Susan could n't go -- she dared not lay Jims down -- so I rushed downstairs . In the hall I paused just a minute -- I was suddenly overcome by an absurd dread . I thought of a weird story Gertrude had told me once . An aunt of hers was alone in a house one night with her sick husband . She heard a knock at the door . And when she went and opened it there was nothing there -- nothing that could be seen , at least . But when she opened the door a deadly cold wind blew in and seemed to sweep past her right up the stairs , although it was a calm , warm summer night outside . Immediately she heard a cry . She ran upstairs -- and her husband was dead . And she always believed , so Gertrude said , that when she opened that door she let Death in . `` It was so ridiculous of me to feel so frightened . But I was distracted and worn out , and I simply felt for a moment that I dared not open the door -- that death was waiting outside . Then I remembered that I had no time to waste -- must not be so foolish -- I sprang forward and opened the door . `` Certainly a cold wind did blow in and filled the hall with a whirl of snow . But there on the threshold stood a form of flesh and blood -- Mary Vance , coated from head to foot with snow -- and she brought Life , not Death , with her , though I did n't know that then . I just stared at her . '' '
I have n't been turned out , ' grinned Mary , as she stepped XXXXX and shut the door . '
Of above at for in on over so to with