Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-28
SEVENTEENTH INSTALLMENT.

Mrs. Williams was greatly startled by
her sons words and manner.
i feel afraid to have you stay here, Ma
son, she whispered, trembling
The doctor took her face in his hands
and caresSed it tenderly.
Bless your soul, mother" he said, COM
posedly, you mustn't conjure up dangers
that don't exist. The fact is that there is
no person in Fairview to whom evil is less
likely TO come than to me. Go home, now
and if l need you will send for YOU
DO Mason, she pleaded. Il shall feel
SO much better to be near you"
The doctor was almost tempted to retrea t
There was no doubt that his mother should
worry, and that she would be more dis
tressed at her own home than if she re-
NAMED with him, but the thought of her
staying longer in the professors house was
lntoierable. So he conducted her down.
stairs and said: Il have told my mother to
return home"
He could not possibly frame any polite
Phrases to convey this announcement. Mrs
Williams tried to express her sympathy for
the household in view Of the new distress
II at had come to affict it, but her words
were faltering and incoherent.
Dent apologize, Mrs. Williams" inter-
rupted the professor, blandly, I'VE are al
ready under the greatest obligations to you.
and We could not of course. urge you longer
to neglect your own home. 1 have left the
horse harnessed, and will drive you as soon
as you are ready"
Mrs Williams turned to her son, alarm
There is no need'- began the doctor
Oh, insist upon it, exclaimed the pro-
lessor. L know that Belmont women are
accustomed to walking, but we can't per-
init 1t under the circumstances: can we,
Lou? Get your things, dear, and go with
u.s."
1T will be better to comply mother, ~
whispered the doctor, who knew that no
harm could come to his mother, even if she
went with the professor alone. For herself
she felt perfectly at ease with Louise along.
and the departure was, therefore, speedily
effected.
The doctor returned to the sick room.
He found Mrs Appleton sitting near Anne
has bed as calmly as If she had been
installed there as nurse by his orders. He
was surprised and disturbed. The very
slight contact he had had with her had
hot been sufficient to give him an insight
into the character that underlay her reti-
cent demeanor, and it had not been enough
to diSsipate a sense of diStruSt that her
presence had aroused. Why was she here
now? The serving women had naturally
been cogniZent OF Amelia's disappearance,
and they had lowered about at the first
ready to assist Mrs. Williams or carry out
any instructions of his own. After the pro-
fessor had gone with the prescription they
had returned to the basement as it was
evident that there was nothing more re-
CURED of them upstairs.
She probably means WELL" thought the
doctor, trying to dSabuSe his mind of pref
udice His reason told him that it was I'M
fair to diStruSt everybody because of his
or her association with Fairview and the
professor.
Il shall remain with the patient from
now on, Mrs. Appleton" he said aloud.
He did not care to have her in the room,
and yet he hestated to ask her to leave,
having no gound for such request other
than his aversion for her, and he hoped she
would voluntarily leave. Mrs. Appleton