The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-06-01

/, Hal ~ four q, clock On q misty morning.
thout q seconds hesitation che ap-s
s preached him. 81 s
Can YOU tell me where I can find the
DOCTORS house?" she said. "a man I met
told me to come this way" q i.
Her earnest tone seemed to rouse him
and make him understand that she was
out on business.
pr. Frere is the nearest resident doc
miles off, over there" pointing the way
Ada had come. :But if there is any.
thing can do, let me help you. I anna
DOCTOR"
"You?" said Ada, her gaze wandering
from his sun-burned face, which had on
it the unmistakable up-ali-night express
sion, to his white fiannel-clad figure, and
then to the cottage beyond, " hich looked
so absurd, in the growing daylight, with
q quantity of dying candles burning on
the table.
"It's ali right" he said, seeming to
understand her perplexity. "I'm Alan
Browne, Of Wimpole-st. Pm down here
for the boating, and I've been having a
bachelor party. Didn't you hear that
fellow laughing as he went off just now?
| bad to get four of the others to take
him awal."
AAoM youI name, ShIU Aua, earn
estly. "Come with me. I am a nurse
from Mr.. Edgar's Home. I'm in charge
of Mrs. Mertoun up at the Hall, and she's
dying. fyou don't come at once it may
be too late"
Whats the matter with herr" said
DR.. Browne. "I've got rocket medi-
cine case here; shall bring it?"
Nurse Harcourt leaned on the gate and
said something in q scarcely audible
voice; then she took out the bottle from
Ter pocket, and held it up for his in
| spection.
"Impossiblew he exclaimed.
Come and save her." said Ada SOL
emily. DR.. Browne turned, hurried in
to the cottage, and in little more than a
minute reappeared with small case in
his hand. Seeing him ready to follow
her., Ada Immediately started off as
quickly as possible ON her return road.
| Alan Browne hurried after her, leaving
the little cottage, with all its windows
! open and its candles burning 10 show it's
disorder to any passer-by who might
chance to wander chat way.
| "You are very good walker" said
Dr.. Browne, when he had got up with
! her.
II believe am" said Ada, and went
quickly on without any further remark.
These two, going swiftly through the
pale, ghostlike morning mist, would
have looked strange to any one who
could have seen them. Both were very
pale; DR.. Browne had got rather bored
by his bachelor party, which had lasted
too late for his taste; and then he had
been somewhat startled by Ada and
what she had said. Nurse Harcourt was
white with excitement and fatigue, al
l ,.ry, oh
that she was weary. She was intent UP
| of anxiety as to what might have hap
pened in her absence.
you know" said DR.. Browne pres
emily, "this thing can't be possible. She
is noted beauty: the men that stay in
Lestayvil go to church to look at her.
Who could do such thing?"
81 can't say, SIR" said Ada; "but do
not think am mistaken"
DR.. Browne was SO bewildered by the
unwonted manner of her introduction
to him that he forgot this vision of the
morning was nurse; but Ada remem-
bered her positi IN, and addressed him
with the manner she used in sick rooms
quiet, but having in it an odd mixture
of defiance and Difference.
Very little more passed between
| SuOu4, GuOy WdlhCu 81 SulChly LIluC IL
was not easy to talk. DR.. Browne CO.
verify observed his companion very
earnestly.
AS they reached the gates of the Hall
the stable clock struck five, and the gray
mist was beginning to lift little and
glide away like the ghost of the dawn.
1t had been strange walk, though
neither thought of it at the time; but il
had the effect of making them feel as if
they had known each other 70 I
years. The house was not awake yet; all
was just as Ada had left it! She gently
pushed open the front door and led the
way inio the dark interior. Up the
dark staircase the TWO crept like thieves.
faint glimmer of light came in through
the chinks here and there, As the gray
figure and the white figure came noise
lessly up the staircase, suddenly some
thing started from the door of Mrs.
| Mertoun's room, and with horrible
cry rushed across the landing. It was
tn, ely of q most awful fear. It made
Ada feel sick, and she longed to sit
down on the stairs, for her legs gave
way beneath her. But she would not.
She remembered her patient, and get
ting out the key of the room, opened
the door and let Dr. Browne in; then
she closed it behind them, anil locked
it: Agatha Mertoun lay rigid, like
81 lovely statue on the bed. Her eyes
were staring and fixed on her lips was q
foam. Nurse Harcourt looked at her
with sinking heart-was it too late?
But she quickly threw aside her cloak
and prepared to wait upon Dr.. Browne,
who soon becrme absorbed in his task.
He used strong measures and watched
their effect with anxiety. Nurse Har-
court saw with a curious sort of satisfac-
ton, that he was acting upon the same
idea with regard to the case which she
had offered him. He did not reject it
rs impossible now. For two hours this
fixed attention continued, neither lett
The beuSlue.
AT last DR.. Browne went to the win.
dow, and beckoned Ada to him.
The servants will be upnow." he
said; task them to get you some coffee.
You look perfectly worn out"
~ believe I am rather tired" she
said; "but l was right, wasn't 1?''
"Quite right" he said; "and you have
saved her life by your pluck"
Thus comforted, Ada went away in
search of the servants. On the landing
outside the door she found the man SER
yant whom she had seen the night be.
fore. He was standing still, with face
full of perplexity.
Nurse" he said, 81 believe masters
gone out of his mind. He has been queer
for some time past, but not like
this.'
"What is it." asked Ada.
"He is sitting on his bed laughing; and
every now and then he stops, and
slrieks out suddenly that the house is
full of gray and white ghosts. don't
like tits awful"