The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-08-25
CHAPTER XIV.
SICK ROOM CONSULTATIONS.

''You are worrying yourself into fever,
Mr.. Gorlcn," said Berth. as, in company
with Funny, she approached the young
mans side few moments after the de-
pmturc of Grover and Eugene. al must
insist on your Keeping perfectly quiet, for,
remember, Fanny's reputation Us nurse Is
now at stake
"lhcn there is another motive for my
getting we'll" sAid Hugh laushngly "G
couldn't find it il my heart 10 ruin the
girls prospects hy dying now. SO you
may expect to see me on my feet this very
night"
"To.richtr' excIaimed both Girls in a
breath. you must not think OF such a
thing
"But have some matters to attend to
that are really imr"rtut,' urged Hugh.
'rBcsdes, I think that it will do mo less
harm to he moving around thnn to lie fret
ting here, for can't get the business out
of my mind"
"lhen don't fret" s;.id Fanny. "The
doctor said that you might walk little to-
morrow, but you can't move to-day. [
must rcturn to the sitting room now,' she
continued, "but am going TO leave Ber-
tha here and see if she can't read your
business out Of your mind"
Bertha blushed and would have declined
on the pretcxt Of doing more harm than
good, when she So " that the idea pleased
the sick man anc she reluctantly seated
herself near the bedside with u volume Of
Temyson i'll her hand.
"Ihr books are nearly all down stairs
she Sud, will Tennysun doi"
"Rcllly," said HA5h, "it is just what 1
should have chosen"
Have you any choicc?" asked Bertha.
'I should Ike t. hear VI :ui,' said
Hush, and Bertha accordingly Iy began to
read, the young man watching her
with wite-npcn eyes.
B.rti;L WAS by 10 means m accomplished
rc::,lei', nut rs Hugh listened to her he
..ught that he hat never heard a swcctcr
voice. Her re;t;ling also evilccd an intel
ligant understanding of the poem, and
Hugh WIS surprised at the accuracy OF her
emphasis.
Ii listened inteltly for some time, but
exhausted naturc be .;;ul toassert her claims
now that th.. unnat;,ral excitement which
had kept every nerve IN full play was dy
ing away, AZ! tn" sweet voice grow fainter
AMI fainter in his cars until he WAS sound
asleep.
H.. had slept. he knew not how lcng,
when he was awakened by tie touch
of cool palm on his forehead. Without
oy.ninr his eyes he knew that it WAS Bcr-
thu WHO was hcnding over him. lie knew
that by the thlil which the touch sent
through his wnol. frame. 1t might lave
E.cru Lecluse OF his weak ness, but he h;ld
imagined before, that day, thar this fair
village yirl with her deep blue eyes and
pitvins fnce seen,cd nearer TO him than
any OTHER maiden ever had. lie realized
it doul!y low wh4u her light triggers were
irving to str kc AMY his paiiI and her
words CT pity w.rr it, his t..r9.
"Ilow terribly h. must s'iH"r with that
horrible cut in his head, he heard her
murrnnr.
"ls she so truly snrry Cor NE, then?" he
asked himself "If hrr brother had been
only half us mcrcful snoull not be lying
here now"
1t will he remembered that Hugh had
hearl that Eugene had been declared Mr..
WaDingford's heir that very morning by
G,lcn Gray, the man who had attempted
his life He could reason it out in no way
except that the attorney and Bcrtha's
brother had plotted together. and that the
blow he had received really came us much
from one as the other. 1t panied him to
think this of the brother Of the girl who
was caring for him So tenderly, but there
seemed to be no other wLv OF accounting
for the production Of another heir as soon
as the plotting: ptrties coi:s!dercd linn out
of the way forever.
lie tried not to think of these things as
1e Law t,rr, Sith Brrti,'s hand still cn-
rcssing his forehead He even found him.
self rejoicing over the belief that Bertha
knew nothing Of her brothers schemes.
He was certain Of this, in fact, for he had
heard her exclumations Of surprise when
Eugene had broken the news to the little
group in the sitting g-room. He gave him.
self up to every thought that spoke in tho
girls favor and rejected those which did
not. 1t seemed like IL foretaste of Heaven
to him to lie there in that quiet room
with the new feelings Bertha h.d awaken
ed in his heart growing stronger and bet
ter defined with every touch Ut her dainty
fingers.
But 4 few moments did he indulge in
such thoughts us these IL can't lie here
uud l,sc il uill!on OF dollars by my inactiv-
ity," lie thought. Il must he at work, for
have cunning foes 10 deal with. But
how shall l Dcglnf Z
Ihcn he remembered the parting words
Of his attorney Oh The day he lett Ne" York
nearly three weeks before. DIR. Wall!ng-
lord's physician says that he may live u
year, and he may not live week." the
lawyer had said. you will be on the
ground if anythins should happen, and
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