Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-10-02
CHAPTER VI

AnAt len VI
" do not quite understand it, Mrs Wat
kin. She has low fever, certainly, and thai
will make her feel iatigued. 1t is common
.vmutom, ma am But her foot, you said sh,
was NOT ont yesterday broke od Mr.. Wat
son. for the speaker was tine friendly surgeon
who had - accidentally called that morn
ing. and had Just seen Caroline alone in tn,
~itting-room.
" No sir she staid indoors all day, an
swered Mrs. Watkin, the two being now to
cether in the side parlor.
IS It is fresh cut 1t can't be twenty
four hours old clean incised wound OF
the sole Of the left foot. ma am. more than a
inch in length and it seems to be rather
deep. She SAYS she does not know how il
was done, which is odd, for it must hay,
.iyen a sharp twinge at the time. Wash il
Tor her in tepid water, and bind it up, moi
oyertightly. I'll send a strip laster along
with the mixture.
She must have rrod upon something
sharp. though do not know what. | vii
look the carpet over in her chamber. Sh,
did not complain of her foot to me, added
Mrs Watkin.
a. saw she had that slipper off. and seem
ed to he nursing the foot. SO asked her tn,
reuson. She did not appear to have examin
ed IT herself And the surgeon wideneC
his ewes. e. 1t is Just like a cut the spill
stones on the moor might make. if she haC
been walking there in very thin boots. Bu
If she was not ont yesterday, it can't b,
that"
Mrs. Watkin shook her head, and looked
puzzled.
Not that it is of any consequence, brisk
lv wound up the surgeon, rearranging Bit
thin gray hair on bis temples. " ash it
and plaster it. Tie great thing will be tC
feed her well, and keep her cheerful, for she
has very suddenly got out of sorts. Menta
anxiety Of some kind, expect.-l wish they
were out of the mill. for it has always been &
losing concern to everybody"
" Did she mention any matter Of anxiety
sir? rather keenly asked Mrs. Watkin.
Not particularly, no. Are you aware o
ANYTHING, ma a'am?" and the male GOSSIP
craned forward eagerly.
Nothing specially" was the measured
reply.
There was no malice in Mr. Watson's in
suisitivencss. From living in that lonely
district, where topice Of conversation were s.
rare, he would at any time have given mod
crate round sum for a confidential chat will
man, woman. or child. The conversation
went oR little further, each being yerl
flrmslly polite to the other but Mr.. Watsol
was doomed to partial disappointment, 70
Nrs. Watkin, a. we know, had herself beel
obsckmated by Caroline, and, not caring t
avoy her own ignorance, the lady had to al
feet reserve. Mr.. Watson reassufingly pre-
d,cted that the wonderful mixture he wa
goinr to send up would quickly put CaTolin
ali to rights again and, that there might b
no dela9. he hurried away, intending to tax
somebody from the cottages TO bring oae
the medi inc. But he intimated that b
should make another visit on the tollowm
morning.
Caroline was evidently i'll, and sat pal
and shivering by the sitting-room fire; 81
however. refused to lie down upon the sof'
and made light Of her feelings altogethe
Mrs Watkin questioned her about her foo
bnt she had no explanations to give of it. a
though the aunt, when she insisted upon hi
bathing it, found quite bad cut, exactly I
Mr. Watson had described it. The medicir
: prunissd by surgeon arrived in course oftiH