Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-07-01

never going to walk, nobody knows how
far, in all the rain ?"
"Yes. I am" said Hetty, buttoning
on capacious waterproof cloak, and
pulling the hood over her head.
Sand you don't even know where
these Dakins live ?''
"Yes, I do. It's big, red brick
house, just beyond the woods by the
church. Papa showed it to me the 9TH
er day."
"Full two miles away"
81 can't help that" said Hetty.
"And me all alone p
Sibyl's voice grew plaintive.
81 can't help that, either" returned |
Hetty, little impatiently. "But don't
fret, Sib-I'1l not be long,
And out the brave little girl walked
into the tempestuous twilight, with her
pockets full of medicines and the water
proof cloak buttoned snug around her.
Not until she had left the friendly
light of her home far behind, and was
lost in the black, rustling depths of the
forest, where the dark boughs met over
her head, and ghostly whisper sounds
went through the dry leaves did Hetty's
valiant heart begin to quail.
Even then she would not admit to
herself that she was in the least timid,
but resolutely fixed her thoughts upon
Dakin's boy, suffocating to death with
Group, and quickened her footsteps as
she did so.
Darker and darker it grew-lonelier
and lonelier; but Hetty pressed reso-
lutely on, until drenched with rain and
ready to drop with the fatigue of max
ing her way through muddy roads
against the wind, she knocked at the
door of Squire Dakin's red brick house.
An elderly woman opened it.
'Is it the doctor p said she, eagerly.
"No," said Hetty; "but it's the doc
tors daughter"
"Lord's sake alive !" said the woman,
despairingly; ''what good can you do,
and him so mortal bad ?"
ga great DEAL" said Hetty. "Let Inc
come in, if you please. l understand
my fathers treatment, and have some
medicine"
At this the woman stood back, mo-
tioning toward the stairway, and Hetty
ran up and entered the sick room with
a confidence born of her womanly cour-
age and kindness.
But it was no Graded babe or plump
ur-year-old who lay there. Dakin's boy
was one and twenty at the very least,
pale and handsome, with closed eyes,
and face set as if in mortal pain, as it
lay on its pillow.
"It-it isn't the Group, then ?" said
she, clasping one of the little bottles in
her hand.
"It's quinsy," said one of the attend
ants, sand it's fatal case, I'm think
ing"
And little Hetty, all her bravery ooz-
ing out, like Bob Acres courage, at heI
fingers ends, sat down behind the door
and began to cry.
The sick man opened his eyes-large
and soft and dark they we're, with Ions
lashes-and asked family:
"Who is that %
Hetty rose and came forward.
"It's me, the doctors daughter, sale
she. 'I-thought it was little boy
with the Group, and"
q "Don't cry" said he, gently, sit will
soon be over"
And he closed his eyes again, Will
poor Hetty cried harder than ever. Al
Z incipient case of Group she thought sh
could manage, but quinsy was entirel
Il beyond the range of her capacities. Sh
had never been in death chamber be
o fore, and the hours and solemnity of tn
scene impressed her with a sense {
vague terror.
:. Just then brisk, heavy footste
! sprang up the stairs, two at tim
L There was stir and commotion in th
room.
y "Oh, thank Heavenp p cried Hett,
= ''it's papa"
Doctor Wallis it was. Released ca
lier than he expected from the other sic
d bed, he had returned home and learne
from his elder daughter Hetty's erra1
e, and here he was, flushed and breatl
h less from the haste he had made.
l. An hour later he came down to whe
S. Hetty sat on the lowest stair, pale al
to anxious.
"Papa," said she, show is he ?"
id "Better, my dear. Doing we'll. B
lie it was an even chance between dea
ut and life for one while. Come, dear, I
going home now. Dobbin is at the door
IT. Hetty climbed silently into the chai
h. and nestled down by her fathers side
"Papa," said she, presently, "was
id very foolish to come here ?''
les "No, my dear, you are very kir
to hearted. But you see there is some
ference between a simple case of Gro