The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-06-05
MISS CLARE...Con,Inusa.


sause your will partakes Of the weakness
Of your physical nature. NYield, throw
aside your pride. and humbly wait till
nature recuperates herself"
did not answer till reached my own
door; then. as I rested before entering.
said:
ut Is hardly consistent for you to I'D.
wise like that"
"How do you knowT" with surprise
that appeared to have a little alarm In II.
by your face" l said.
She looked relieved, and turned to go.
called her back.
"You must be brief" she remon.
strated; II don't want to have you faint
ing again"
81 only wanted to ask you, In case !
am unconscious, not to allow Mrs. Jer-
dan to have physician here who Is very
ignorant have little faith in country
doctors-not much In any You'll know
by his appearance u he's quack. Pre-.
scribe for me yourself, rather than allow
such to attend me- You promiseT'
I held out my unsteady hand. She
took Il and said, II promise;" then ran
down stairs for Mrs. Jerdan. l stag.
gered into my room and fell upon the
bed, utterly In the grasp Of that unseen.
strange power Of disease. The next
month Is not blank to me, though but
for few blessed memories should pray
that 10 might be 90. There were some
moments Of calm, moments when !
opened my weary eyes In realization Of
everything around me. Twice l saw
Miss Clare sitting near; Sho gave me
hack an answering look Of intelligence to
that which she saw In my face. did
not speak, had not the slightest wish to
do 50. Iclosed my eyes with feeling
Of deep and entire relief, for, while
realized her presence, feared no more
the incubus Of fever.
The days Of convalescence at last
dawned upon me. Sleep, the merciful
and all-healing, smiled upon my tired
soul There were days when II seemed
to me that I slept nearly all the time
slept with o sense Of quiet bliss that
made me wish for nothing beyond the
present.
When I fell into the habit Of lying
peacefully awake for several hours,
noticed that the doctor came every day.
| thought him o quiet, reliable man, who
appeared to understand his business.
secretly wondered II his was tho obscure
fate Of practicing in the little village
near by. As soon as ! had sufficient
energy and strength to talk, l asked him
where he lived.
"In NJ, !" mentioning city about thirty
miles away.
"Do you come from there every dayT"
asked.
"Yes; why notT"
Ibid not reply, but inquired eagerly.
"Who sent for your
II don't know, only know for whom
was sent" he smiled tantalizingly and
went out.
had not seen Miss Clare since the
fever left me- The next time Mrs. Jer.
dan came in I asked u Miss Clare would
come up moment She had gone to
walk, Mrs Jerdan replied; she would
give her my message when she returned.
/ lay dreamily waiting for her coming,
my wasted fingers aimlessly playing with
the counterpane, folding and unfolding,
doubling and undoubling. with the rest.
less wandering Of q sick person.
At last-my heart beat heavier as
heard it-a faint rustic Of garments In
the passage, and Miss Clare opened the
door. She advanced with quiet tread
to my side, and took hand Of mine In
hera Ny weakened frame felt the re-
vivifying effect Of the vital life and elec.
tricity in her, as my hand closed round
her fingers. I had not sufficient control
over myself to prevent my eyes from
eagerly devouring her face. Her eyelids
drooped beneath my gaze. She smiled
and spoke:
$50, Mr.. Perrom, you think yourself
sufficiently recovered to receiver q visitorY''
II think myself well enough to receive
you," said, feebly detaining the hand
she attempted to withdraw.
"As ! get better, ] grow curious"
continued, relinquishing with smoth-
cred sigh the fingers that lay passively in
mine.
"Yes, l think your nature Is essen.
TALLY inquisitive," /" she said, sitting down
In q low chair near me. "Do you de-
slreany information that lean give your
"How came you to know Of this ply.
sician from Mp l asked, half fearing
that It might have been Mrs. 5erdan who
had procured him. She replied directly;
"a friend Of mine in Boston has great
faith In him; 90. after one interview with
the doctor over there in the village, l
sent to NJ; hope you are favorably i'm.
pressed BY him, for think he has done
very well BY you"
"And you didn't like the village doc.
torY'
like himr' with q slight laugh, 'he
would have bled and blistered you to
death; and, as you placed your life In
my hands, felt some compunctions.
Though not 90 tender hearted as should
be, would be willing 70 leave only my
enemy In the hands Of an ignorant
quack."
Her voice sounded 90 refreshing, 90
musical, after my long banishment, that
! would willingly have had her talk
hours, even had she spoken nothing but
the veriest lnsipidities. She sat BY
small light stand, on which stood few
vials and glass; she rested one arm on
the stand, and bent slightly forward as
she spoke; her position Of easy, fault
less grace; her form, In its soft, dun
hued dress, was elegant and bewitching
In every curve; the faint fragrance
that hung around her stole sweetly
upon my senses; and her face
what strange happiness It gave me only
TO look at her face againi Those large