Calamity Town by Ellery Queen

on the floor again.
    Pat said: ‘Oh, look, Nor! Letters!’
    â€˜Letters? Where? Of all—They are!’ One of the volumes which had fallen from Nora’s arms was over-sized and fat, bound in tan cloth. From among the leaves some envelopes had tumbled. Nora picked them up curiously. They were not sealed.
    â€˜Oh, three poky old envelopes,’ said Pat. ‘Let’s get going with these books or we’ll never be through, Nora.’
    But Nora frowned. ‘There’s something inside each one, Pat. These are Jim’s books. I wonder if…’ She removed a single sheet of folded notepaper from one of the envelopes and spread it smooth, reading slowly to herself.
    â€˜Nora,’ said Mr Queen. ‘What’s the matter?’
    Nora said faintly: ‘I don’t understand—’ and returned the sheet to its envelope. She took a similar sheet from the second envelope, read it, returned it to its envelope, the third, read it…And as she thrust it back into the third envelope, her cheeks were the color of wet sand. Pat and Ellery glanced at each other, puzzled.
    â€˜ Boo! ’
    Nora whirled, shrieking. In the doorway crouched a man wearing a papier-mâché mask; his fingers were curled before his fantastic face, opening and closing hungrily. Nora’s eyes turned up until they were all whites. And then she crumpled, still clutching the three envelopes.
    â€˜Nora!’ Jim ripped off the ludicrous Hallowe’en mask. ‘Nora, I didn’t mean—’
    â€˜Jim, you fool,’ panted Pat, flinging herself to her knees by Nora’s still body. ‘That’s a smart joke! Nora dear—Nora!’
    â€˜Look out, Pat,’ said Jim hoarsely; he seized Nora’s limp figure, scooped her up, half-ran up the stairs with her.
    â€˜It’s only a faint,’ said Ellery, as Pat dashed into the kitchen. ‘She’ll be all right, Patty!’ Pat came stumbling back with a glass of water, which slopped over with each step. ‘Here, wench.’ Ellery took it from her and sped up the stairs with the glass, Pat treading on his heels.
    They found Nora on her bed, in hysterics, while Jim chafed her hands and groaned self-abasements. ‘Excuse me,’ said Ellery. He shouldered Jim aside and put the glass to Nora’s blue lips. She tried to push his hand away. He slapped her, and she cried out; but she drank the water, choking. Then she sank back on the pillow, covering her face with her palms. ‘Go away,’ she sobbed.
    â€˜Nora, you all right now?’ asked Pat anxiously.
    â€˜Yes. Please. Leave me alone. Please!’
    â€˜Go on, now,’ said Jim. ‘Leave us alone.’
    Nora let her hands fall. Her face was swollen and puffed. ‘You, too, Jim.’
    Jim gaped at her. Pat steered him out. Ellery shut the bedroom door, frowning, and they went downstairs. Jim made for the liquor cabinet, poured himself a stiff Scotch, and tossed it down with one desperate motion. ‘You know how nervous Nora is,’ said Pat disapprovingly. ‘If you hadn’t had too much to drink tonight—’
    Jim was angry, sullen. ‘Who’s tight? Don’t you go telling Nora I’ve been drinking! Understand?’
    â€˜Yes, Jim,’ said Pat quietly. They waited. Pat kept going to the foot of the stairs and looking up. Jim shuffled around. Ellery whistled a noiseless tune. Suddenly Nora appeared.
    â€˜Nora! Feeling better?’ cried Pat.
    â€˜Worlds.’ Nora came downstairs smiling. ‘Please forgive me, Mr Smith. It was just being scared all of a sudden.’
    Jim seized her in his arms. ‘Oh, Nora—’
    â€˜Forget it, dear,’ laughed Nora.
    There was no sign of the three envelopes.

8
    Hallowe’en: The Scarlet Letters
    When Jim and Nora came up on the porch after dinner, Nora was quite gay.
    â€˜Pat told me about that silly mask, Jim Haight,’ said Hermy.