The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-02-17
CHAPTER XTX.

1t was when she was giving him his
breakfast the next morning, pouring his
tea in the saucer to cool it, and butterinp
his toast for him, ''for all the world as il
he had Just come home from school with
the scarlet fever" that Mrs. Roper first
realized the ravages which illness had
made in Randall's massive frame.
Too weak 20 lift the cup to his lips, he
lay there as docile as a little child, and
seemingly deaf to her persistently cheer
ful chatter.
She chartered to him Of everything, be-
ginning with his first trousers and con-
Guiding with a mysterious allusion to
Jeanne's flowers, which were now nod
ding their pretty heads at him over the
edge OF crystal bowl on the stand at his
elbow.
Since Mrs. Roper had discovered that
a well man sick" we're Jeanne LenOx' S
offerings, her views on that subject had
undergone material modification.
Jeanne and Ran would be man and
wife some of these days-so it was all
right"
Il think I'll Just run home for few
minutes and tell 'em Pm not coming,
Ran. You see, I didn't know, yesterday,
whether you would let me stay or not, 60
l came off in something of hurry"
The toast was all eaten up and the tea
cup was empty. She would run home
and lay out the work for the girls. But
Ran must not know he was putting her
out" in the least.
take those things with you, Becky,
and tell them not to bring any more
here"
She turned from the glass, where she
was tying her black bonnet strings under
her chin, to discover what it was she was
to take away. 1t was Jeanne's roses.
"But can't, dear. That is-oh, Ran.
you wouldn't hurt her feelings, would
your"
Hurt her feelings Hurt whose feel
ings. Becky?"
that sends them, | mean. My, no be
does stare !"
Mrs. Roper was laundering in deep
waters. IL had occurred to her, sitting
there by Rams lounge, keeping lonely
might possibly smooth the way for these
two loving young hearts. If only Ran
could be made to understand that his
poverty need not keep him and Jeanne
LenOx apart, it would be smooth sailing.
Nothing had seemed simpler the night
before. She had settled the entire matter
with "neatness and dispatch; ;" had mar
ried Jeanne and Randall right there by
Rams sofa-bed; had effaced herself com
pletely once more, and seen the happy
couple start for continental tour, al
without moving from the patent rocker
which only rocked when she had leaned
forward TO look into the still, white face
on the lounge.
Nothing seemed more difficult, with the
prosaic light of a gray November day fall
J ing harshly into the studio through its
big uncurtained window, with beer trucks
| trundling Mostly by the house every little
while, and Randall staring at her with in
tensey wide-open eyes, and with such ar
excessively displeased look about his
| lips.
"What do you mean, Becky"
Nothing, Ran only think the roses
are so lovely, and whoever spent their
money on them must have been thinking
kind thoughts about you, dear; don't yoU
| think SOP"
did a lady bring these flowers here
Becky"
Whatever came, Jeanne should no
| suffer at her hands if she had to lie righ
through and pray for forgiveness all tn,
rest of her days, was the resolution quickly
| formed and stubbornly adhered to by Mrs
Roper.
"a young woman, Ran-might hav.
been the waitress, you know, of some o
your lady friends, you know"
"A young woman! Was she slight anC
| graceful?"
''Slight enough, Ran. You know then
Woodworking girls don't accumulate non,
/ too much flesh. / wasn't looking FOL
grace. was looking for your other slip
per-"
eyes?"
''Dear me, Ran, you sound like a detec
tive. She NAV have squinted. for all
know, or worn green spectacles. Shit
wasn't here five minutes" thank HEAVIER
| for the privilege of inserting that mucl
truth y "and you're asking me to describ,
her like i was photograph man who haC
been taking her points for half an hour
Pm going now, Ran, and I'll be bacl
within half an hour. She would not sta
there and have the truth jerked out o
| her.
"Take the roses with you, Becky / d,
not want them. Take them away, Becky
Mrs. Roper lifted Jeanne's roses iron
the crystal bowl with mixed emotions.
was pity Miss Lenox's Offering should b.
sighted in this way, but Ran was so eros
and masterful this morning that he mus
be getting well--and there was solid com
fort in that thought.
When she got back to the studio, afte
having laid out the days work for be
girls. Mrs. Roper found two strange mel
there. They were standing in the big un
curtained window. Randall was sleepin
heavily. The men were talking.
These two men presented a very sharl
contrast to each other. The older on
was quite feeble. His form was bent, hi
face was deeply furrowed with lines of care
and the finger he had laid impressively OF
the younger mans broadcIothed arm wa
the trembling finger of an old man. Tn
younger man was listening with tn
gravest attention to something the othe
was saying.
She was Randell's sister and his nurse