Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-06-21
groom; land he said missus is asleep

4
81 must know because I've come down
to nurse her.
"I'll show you the door," said the
man. He led her a little way along q
corridor. and pointed up short stair.
case. 1.-The door on the left,n he said
and Immediately hurried off, carrying
his light with him.
'sThis is queer house, thought
Ada. However, she found her way
back to her own room by the glimmei
of light from its doorway. Then, TAX
ing her candle, she went straight to the
door of the room the man had shown
her. She knocked gently; there was nc
answer. So she quietly turned the han
die and looked in. A solitary candle
lit large room; she could but dimly
perceive that on the bed lay woman
who seeing her, started up as if in ter
ror, and then fell helplessly back again.
Evidently this was the sick room.
Ada shut the door, put down the candle,
and approached the bed.
Don't be frightened" she said, 81
am nurse your sister sent down to
take care of you"
Il thought you were spirit. said
Agatha Mertoun; 81 have had strange
vision to-day" Then she relapsed in
to silence, and seemed to forget Ada S
presence. After awhile she spoke again.
II am dying she said.
Ada went close to her and looked in
TO her eyes. They were very strange.
Suddenly the unhappy woman was
seized with violent sickness. Ada.
with her quick wits, noticed some
things which made her wonder. When
her patient, weary and exhausted, lay
back again on her pillow, she began to
make "a tour of the room. There were
great many bottles in different places.
She took out all the corks and smelled
at the contents. Suddenly while thus
engaged, she happened to look toward
the bed, and met Agatha's eyes fixed
on her with gaze full of some extra
ordinary meaning or intelligence. 1t
almost frightened even the brave Ada.
She put down the bottle quickly and
went to the bedside. But Agatha had
closed her eyes, as if too weak to keep
them opened. Looking earnestly at her
Nurse Harcourt realized how wonder
fully lovely she was, in spite of the
deathly pallor which lay on her face
Suddenly the sickness came again; and
then violent spasm.
"This is a queer sort of anamia,n
said Ada to herself; and after long
look at her patient, began to smell at
the physic bottles. just then she heard
q faint sound sound at the door. Hasti-
ly approaching it, and opening it, she
saw Mr.. Mertoun disappearing through
the opposite door. He wanted to
watch me-" she thought. 'How, what
on earth can this mean?n She locked
the door inside, and continued her in
vestigations. Suddenly she came upon
a bottle inside a cupboard, nearly emp
ty, the smell from which almost made
her cry out. But she remembered her
patient and refrained. She merely put
the bottle into her pocket, and then,
without hunting about any more, went
back to watch with poor Agatha The
color of her face grew steadily worse,
and her weakness was rapidly increas-
ing.
What on earth am | to dor ex-
Nurse Harcourt at last, Sin this out-of-
the-way place? can't see her die be-
fore my eyes. If | could only get the
doctorp"
She had spoken out loud, thinking
Agatha quite unconscious. But she
was not. She opened her eyes and
seemed to express something by their
earnest gaze. 1t seemed as if she I'M
derstood Ada's words.
''It's the only thing to be done, be-
lieve," said Ada to herself; land III do
it," She took out her watch and looked
at it-half-past three. Going to the
window, she drew the curtain little
aside. There was a faint gray haze all
over the world; but the light would be
enough to find ones way by, and ev-
cry moment brought the dawn nearer.
eff | did but know the way" she
thought. "Well, must wake some
one and ask it."
Having made up her mind, she no
longer hesltated. She took final sur
vey of her patient and then left the
room. She locked the door on the out
side, and took the key with her.
Quickly entering her own room, she
caught up her gray cloak and travelling
hat, and put them on as she hurried
down stairs. 'lf l only knew where
the servants sleepr' she thought; 'but
I'm so afraid of rousing Mr.. Mertoun.
III wake up some cottage people"
With some considerable difficulty she
opened the front door, and then drew it
close behind her without absolutely
shutting it. To her delight she found it
would stay so without moving; this
would enable her to enter the house
again quietly. As quickly as swift feet
would carry her she hurried out of the
grounds. She saw no cottage; so she
went on along the widest road, hop
ing to reach some habitation in time.
To her delight she saw at last hedger
and ditcher trudging away to his work
She ran after him and, almost breath
less with her quick movement and ex-
element, caught him by the arm while
she asked him her question.
",rhe doctorP" he replied. s'Right
on till the crossroads, then to the right;
not more'n o mile"
Not more than mile! Nurse Har-
court started on her way gleefully.
That soon would be accomplished, she
thought. Had she but known how
strange is the Cornish mind on the SUBJ
iect of distances, she might have stayed
to ask further information. But, in
stead she hurried away, leaving the
workingman to stare after her in COM
plete and bewildered amazement. The
cross roads were reached before long,
and then she turned to the right and
hurried quickly along the lonely road.
At last Ada began to reflect on the
fact that she must have walked great
deal more than mile since her meeting
with the hedger and ditcher. In fact
she was beginning to feel little puzzled
and hopeless, for there was no sign OF
houses. Still she hurried on, hoping tC
meet some one else who would direct
her. Suddenly on her ear fell the
sound of laughter-high, clear, hearty
laughter. Odd at this time in the
morning; but, nevertheless, the sounC
encouraged her. 1t came again anC
again, and guided her footsteps out o
the high road into wonderfully quie
lane. The laughter still went on aheaC
like q hooking spirit, as a will-o'-the
wisp. But suddenly Ada found hersel
close to little cottage, every window
of which was brilliantly illuminated
from within. The lower window
reached to the ground and stood open
exhibiting all ,ne signs of late reyel
Empty decanters and bottles, innumer
able glasses, some packs of cards on tn
floor these things caught her quicl
eye and made her wonder; while lean
ing on the gate of the cottage was al
extremely handsome Young man