Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-06-05
not sensible Of pain. A feeling of restful-
ness, of gratitude for her providential escape,

Weariness at length overpowered her, and
when Mrs. Condy, about an hour after the
doctor had left her, came in on tiptoe to see if
she wanted anything, found her fast asleep.
She slept peacefully until midnight, when
a sudden noise awoke her.. It was a cry
loud harsh, ringing cry, in woman's voice;
and it came from room overhead. As she
listened, trembling with not unnatural fear,
the cry was repeated, more sharply than
before. 1t was followed by sound of moving
feet, murmur of voices, then all was silent.
Directly after, Mrs. Condy, in wrapper,
stole softly to her bedside.
"You're awake, see, my DEAR" she said
in half.whisper. II was afraid you would
be disturbed. Never mind, everythings
quiet again now. Go to sleep and don't be
worried"
"What was the matter-was any one
hurt?' asked Rachel.
"No, no; it was only patient we have
something frightened her, poor thing. The
doctor has got her composed. She won't make
any more disturbance, l am pretty sure"
said Mrs. Condy. "Are you feeling easier
yourself, now?"
"My head aches" said Rachel, "snd I feel
very stiff must be more bruised than /
knew at first"
The housekeeper renewed the bandage
around her temples, dipping it in ice-water.
She also gave her ice.water to drink, and rub
bed her aching limbs with lotion Of some
kind, which eased them considerably. But
though refreshed by her ministrations, Rachel
could not recover her composure, which had
been 80 rudely disturbed. The strange, dis
cordant cry she had heard still echoed in her
imagination, and as she lay awake after Mrs.
Condy left her, her mind conjured up all
manner of troubled fancies, which did not
tend to restore its equanimity. Then all the
old train of harrassing memories and rehec-
tions, rushed over her again, multiplying
themselves in thousand vexing forms, and
renewing the consciousness of her griet,
which had for time been put aside, until her
brain was over-wrought by excitement, and
fever set in. The doctor looked grave on his
next visit, and felt more serious than he look
ed. He was not long in finding out that
his patient was likely to suffer more from
mental than physical disorder, though what
the source of her distress might be be could
not of course discover. He prescribed, as
before, absolute quiet; gave her soothing
mixture, and assured her that her injuries
were doing we'll. He said no more about send
ing for her friends, thinking that for the pres
ent she would fare better if quite undisturbed.
And Rachel herself, preferring not to see
them yet, was equally silent on the subject.
Some days passed. Her illness, though it
did not increase to an alarming extent, proved
serious enough to require assiduous nursing.
There was an interval of sharp fever, accom-
panied by racking pains in head and limbs;
then followed complete prostration, almost
harder to bear, joined to the helplessness Of
an infant. She was just emerging from this
stage, and was beginning to feel little like
her former self again, when DR.. Snow, who
had been unremitting in his attention, came
to her one day, with paragraph cut from
newspaper in his hand.
"This relates to you, Miss Rachel" he
said. "Your friends have got anxious about
you, and have advertised you-no wonder,
either. Shall l read it to you ?"
She signi6ed her assent, and he read aloud
the following notice:
disappeared suddenly, on the afternoon
of the Sd of this month, young lady named
Rachel Ray of slight figure, dark hair and
eyes, pale complexion, delicate features, dress
ed in mourning had left No. 20, - street
at four O'clock, ostensibly with the intention
of returning to her residence at No. 719 -
street, and has not been heard of since. ANY
information concerning her, left at either of
the above places, will be thankfully received"
"That is Magdalen, ! suppose" said Rach-
81 languidly. "She will have to be told"
"Who is Magdalen, my dear?" asked the
kind doctor.
"Magdalen Gray. Her mother lives at
No. 20, - street. They are the friends I
spoke Of"
II will notify them Immediately of your
whereabouts" said Dr.. Snow, hurrying of.
Rachel wished that he had not seen the ad-
vertisement She felt an indiscribable repug-
nance to meeting Magdalen again. 1t was
not Magdalen, however, but her mother, who
came into the room few hours later, with
mingled anxiety and relief depicted on her
BENEVOLENT face.
"My dear Rachel how thankful am to
find you out at last" she exclaimed, kissing
her. ave have been so alarmed and dis
tressed We advertised as soon as we discov.
cred that you had never gone back to Miss
Smithson's, and bad inquiries set on foot
everywhere. Why did not you have mes.
sage sent to US at the beginning?"
"Your hands are always full-it was no
use to trouble you," said Rachel, feeling the
insuHciency Of the excuse. "Dr. Snow has
been most kind"
II will not reproach you now, at all events"
said Mrs. Gray. She remained for some
time, performing such little Offices for the in
valid as she could find to do; and presently
informed her that Magdalen had gone out
of town.
"She was sent off quite unexpectedly into
the country, the very day after you were at
our house. dear. There is branch store, as
you may know, at the little village of Nut
ting, and an experienced workWoman was
wanted there for short time; and Madame
Foy kindly selected Magdalen as the one to
go, knowing her delicacy, and that a trip to
the country would do her good"
Rachel answered with two.fold meaning,
that she was very glad. 1t was an unuttera-
BILE relief to her to know that she would be
spared the trial of meeting Magdalen again,
at least for the present. Mrs. Gray soon at
ter took leave with the promise Of coming as
often as possible. She could not, she said, de:
vote 80 much time to Rachel as she would
wish, now that her daughter was away, espe-
cially as Jem had been little ailing Of late.
Rachel's recovery was now rapid, and in
another week she was able to move, though fee
bly, about her room. One of her windows
opened on very pretty flower garden, and it
pleased her to sit here and look out, and en-
ioy the fragrant odors that ascended refresh