The Irish standard., 1888-02-11
CHAPTER VIII.

To add to my discomfort at noon driz-
zling rain began to fall, and soon the wind
blew fercely. So severe, indeed, became
the storm I was forced to seek shelter in
wood where I remained the afternoon and
night, wet, shivering and nearly perishing
with cold and hunger. The storm cleared,
however, in the night, and the sun rose
bright and clear in the morning. dragged
myself out of the thicket where had lain,
and by great difficulty gained the high road,
but [ found could no longer continue my
Journey. lily limbs ached, as did my head,
while one moment was chilled to the bone,
the next burning with fever. Lights danced
before my eyes, and I grew so faint and
giddy could scarcely stand. Slowly creep
ing along thus / determined to stop at q
neat white house by the road, and accord
ingly opening the gate [ crept slowly up
the walk.
A sweet-faced lady was brislSly opening
the shutters as ] came In. But she paused
and uttered an exclamation when She saw
me, and no wonder, for a more pitablo look
ing object could hardly have met your eyes
than was at that moment
NY clothes were wet and splashed with
mud; my hat hung limp over my disheyelcd
hair, and my shoes were in tatters. But
nv failing strength made me- regardless OF
looks. went to the window. tried to tell
the woman that was weak, starving and
i'll, but my words mixed themselves up IN a
strange. confused manner. A mist came
before my eyes, and remembered nothing
more till awoke lying on lounge in
pleasant room with the kind face had seen
at the window bending over me, while she
bathed my head, rubbed my benun1bed
hands and strove in every way to arouse
me to consciousness. When I had IN a
measure recovered, she re1nAved my outer
garments, took OFF my soaked shoes and
stockings, and smoothed out my tangled
hair, her soft, gentle touch soothing some
what the burning pain in my head. She
ask d me no questions; she merely accept
ed my situation as a matter OF course, and
if I had aroused her curiosity she did not ex.
press it.
She then brought me cup Of tea and
bit of toast, which she urged me to eat; but,
while drank the tea, i could not touch the
toast, though made several Intellectual at
tempts to do 80, wishing to crafty my KIND
benefactor.
"Never mind eating it, child,'' she said,
seeing my attempts. "R you do not feel
like eating you had better not" And saw
tears in her soft blue eyes as she spoke.
Sl6 CQGu COIQUCtSO 10 ~ u AOOAAA3 NAAo
robed me gently as mother might, and
tucked me in the softest Of beds and drew
the curtains to shut out the light from my
aching eyes, and soon fell into q troubled
sleep. remember awaking once, but after
this came long blank, or rather dull con-
fused dream, in which IN Inauguration
travelled hundreds Of miles, ever toiing on
over stony roads and up steep and dizzy
heights, or else scrambled through dense
thickets, or was lost in the labyrinth OF deep
forests, or walked by cool streams and
bubbling fountains, but not one drop could
I obtain to quench my burning thirst, and
ever before me was the face Of Irma Bar
rett. saw the CLEAN Of her golden hair
and the CLINT Of her blue eyes wherever ]
turned.
But these were dreams only, fever dreams
that worried my brain, while the fever that
coursed through my frame burned unceas-
ingly until, compelled to die out for want OF
fuel, it left me weak as an infant. But, at
tended as was by skilled physician, and
watched over by Mrs. Kent (for that, ]
found, was her namel, with the utmost
solcitude, soon began to grow better.
It had been November when I fell i'll, but
1t was 1nid-winter when, wrapped in shaWls
crept to the window for the first time and
gazed out on the leafess trees and brown,
swinging vines in the garden. But was
glad to creep back again to the warm-cush-
loned chair by the fire where Mrs. Kent sato