Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-07

| of the bachelor misSionarles-and not one
| of them would have her! l suppose they
had been warned of the flighty sort Of
young woman she was So she was in
nice fix, and Mrs. Abbott had TO ask her to
come and stay with her till she could fine
something to do, for the Missionary Society
refused to give the girl her passage money
back to England"
"Well, she's deep one, then; she look:
as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth
Where did you hear the story?"
"Oh, fellow who had been up at Kat
ali told me. The missionary has the only
bungalow in the place, so he was staying
there, and Mrs. Missionary, who was one
of the cargo herself, told him."
Excellent authority, no doubt" inter.
rupted Graham. perhaps you might
hear something to the disadvantage of the
lady at Katali if you asked Miss Owen. II
would be valuable addition to your col
lection of Queer Stories,' and make you a
welcome guest at some houses where gos-
sip is thoroughly appreciated" And Gra-
ham, who rarely spoke to his subordinates
save on matters of business, gathered up
his papers and left the two young men
uncertain whether to be more surprised or
offended by his observations.
Graham himself was disgusted. He did
not believe that what he had Just heard
was correct in all its details, but he feared
that the main fact, that of Patience's hav-
ing come out to Shikarore to be married,
was likely to be true 1t was a shock to
him to find that the demure little woman
with the sweet voice and quiet WAYS.
whom he had got to like almost insensibly,
was after all llnothing but a vulgar husband
hunter, and he was panied and irritated
by the idea His horror of gossip forbade
his broaching the subject to Mrs. Alb
bott 50 he put it away at the back of
his mind, and, bi,t for slight shade
of GOODNESS in his manner to Pa
tience, it produced no ous,%ard effect;
But, keenly alive to all that co.. ,,eerned
Graham's intercourse with herself -
tience Immediately perceived the change
and, conscious of the weak place in her
armor, concluded that the hated incident
had been made known to him. Her face
began once more to assume the care-worn
expression which her kind friends had be-
lieyed bandished forever, and she no longer
sang as she went about her work. Gra-
ham came no less frequently to the house.
and scarcely day passed on which Pa
tience did not see him. But this was now
more a pain than pleasure to her, and
she was almost glad when he announced
one evening that he had been summoned
to attend a meeting of Directors at Pamba,
and that this, along with some other work
at distance, would keep him away for
about fortnight. He asked Mrs. Abbott
to look in on the little boy now and then,
to see that all was well, although he had
the greatest confidence in the child's ayah
and Patience ventured to join with Mrs.
Abbott in assuring him that they would
look after little Jack during his fathers
absence. But Graham's formal words of
thanks sent a chill to her heart and she
wished she had not spoken.
CHAPTER III.
Graham had been away for ten DAYS
ard Patience had not passed one without
making pilgrimage TO his house in she
faithful fulfillment of her promise to look,
after his little lonely child They had be-
come fast friends, and Jack watched anx-
Iously for "Pacie's" coming, skipping out
On to the veranda to meet her. and de-
the stories which he had discov-
cred she was very good hand at telling.
But on the eleventh day ''Baba Sahib he
being very sick" were the words with
which the ayah greeted her, aad her heart
sank as she followed the woman into the
Little Jack was in high fever,
and Patience directed the ayah to 90 or
,end for the doctor without moments de-
ay. Then she took off her hat and sat
lor,ln Oh l,1lj. l..
with gentle words and touches, and sing
ing in hushed voice one OF two of the
I'D psalm tunes which were her only
,onss. At last the doctor came, pro-
bounced that the child 'loolled uncom-
monty like smallpox" and asked Patience
f she intended to stay, as the ayah already
showed signs of losing her head.
'@Of course l viii stay" answered Pa
,ience adding to herself, Nothing is
.ikely to happen to me just because
,ould so well be spared.") 81 shall be glad
f you will tell Mrs. Abbott what keeps me
here, and she will send over somebody
with what things l shall want" So the
DOCTOR gave his orders, and being in
hurry, as he always was nowadays, took
his leave, and Patienee's watch began.
About an hour later the medicines and
small trunk containing her clothes arrived,
with kindly message from Mrs. Abbott,
and then the stiffness of night closed round
the bungalow, broken only by the sick
childs impatient moaning and tossing,
which Patience was now powerless to still.
All n ght she watched, and all the next
day she would not let her strained and
weary eyes close for one moment lest she
should fall asleep at her post When the
doctor came for the third time on that day
he looked so grave that her fears were
thoroughly aroused, and she could not
have slept had she tried Against such
raging fever the child's strength could not
hold out much longer, and when the doc
tor looked in at o'clock on the second
he was scarcely surprised to see
the poor little man lying pale and ex-
hausted in his cot, with nothing but his
faint breathing to show he lived
I" / fear he cannot last through the day."
said the young man, "even if he were to
take all the nourishment | order for him.
The fever has burned the life out of him,
the poor little chap; and no one knows
where his father is None of my tele-
grams have been answered" And the
doctor was off once more.
Patience's eyes filled with tears that
would not be kept back when she thought
of Graham's despair. "Oh God" she
take me, and let little Jack
live. Take me, and let me be at rest, for
have no place here, Oh Lord" Little
Jack opened his eyes, and when she looked
at him she saw her prayer was vain.
When the doctor had paid his evening
visit and was on his way back to town he
met Graham, hurrying with gray, set
face toward his bungalow.
"Is he-alive| he asked hOarsely.
MY dear fellow, he is conscious" said
the doctor, and sped on, knowing he could
say no more.
Graham stopped on the threshold to take
off his boots, and then softly entered the
nursery. Patience was seated beside her
charge, with tiny hand clasped in one of
I s4l L L !. L