Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-01-24

He wondered the next second why
the devil he said it.
Perhaps the absurdlty Oh the words
struck Ovens grim sense of humor;
she certainly stirred uneasly and
made a feeble, pathetic little try 70
throw rp the limp Aand that lay on
the quilt.
Strange moved back under cover Of
his curtain.
Good" said the doctor, "try again, $
He was watching Strange's face with
some interest.
"He has aged ten years in eight
hours, poor devily' he thought, then
he took a long survey of his patient.
II wonder If she is worth 1t all, she
is a trifie too superb for me, She looks
like one of those women who keep
their flesh too much under"
Gradually Ovens STRINGS grew
stronger and more frequent, and at
last she opened her eyes slowly and
looked out with vague questioning
"What Is it?" she whispered.
you have been i'll, dear"
"Illg' she murmured perplexedly.
81 want light"
The doctor moved the screens from
before the candles; Gwen raised her
head feebly.
"What is it?" She asked again.
The doctor lifted her and gave her
a draught he had ready, she was too
weak to resist him, and presently she
fell off into a drowsy half-slumber,
After what seemed to Strange life
time, she again moved woke, and re-
peated the old question. this time aud
IDLY and with tinge of imperiousness.
''Ah, she'll do now" said the doctor
to himself, grinning a saturnine grin,
when woman shows her pet weak
ness she's out of danger"
He put back the screen. Il am
thankful to say" he said to her, ''you
are the sole sufferer, and you'll soon
be all right again"
Humphrey was we'll then. She shut
her dazed eyes and tried to think, but
she could only hover off into drowsi-
ness.
After a time she opened her eyes
again and said
II would like my maid; perhaps you
would tell Sir Humphrey that | am
better"
"Your husband hardly requires the
information said the doctor drily.
81 shall leave Lady Strange in your
hands, Sir Humphrey, and | shall re-
main ON the premises in case you
want me-"
His wife turned her eyes away and
began searching for her handkerchief;
he stopped and gave it to her.
The sweat still chung to his CHASTITY
forehead and hung on his hair.
'He said you We're not hurt" she
said, you look as if you were.''
TITS been rather disturbing day."
he said, with sudden bitterness. "Nev-
er mind me, I'll be as jolly as sand
boy after bath"
She turned herself uneasly on the
pillow and shut her eyes. 1t was
horrible to have him the e above her
Poor little child, poor little I'M
finished thing!" he thought pitifully.
"Shall send your maid dear?"
Eyes, please and won't-oh, won't
you rest?'
"Yes, I'm off" he said, in his CHEEKY
voice, and he went outside the door
and watched there till morning. She
was very white the next morning, and
kept falling off into drowsy little
sleeps, but she declared she was all
right and meant to get up; the neces-
sity of staying in bed was new one
and she loathed it.
She felt more in her husbands power
lying there i'll; she grew suspicious too,
for the first time in her life, and set
herself to search for meanings in
looks.
Il am demoralized," she kept re-
peating. Then she turned her face
from the light, and neither spokeAnor
looked except when she absolutely had
to.
Strange could make nothing at all
Of her, and he soon left her for sheer
mercy'S sake.
When he had gone she raised herself
up and rang the bell.
"Give me what / am to take and
then leave me for two hours; will
sleep If l can"
The girl brought her bowl of beef
tea, and she plunged heroically into
it.
Il am doing my duty" she said to
herself, with a sneer" but oh, will
this liquid never get less? On the con-
trary 1t seems to increase You won't
let me disturbed, will you, CHIP she
said
AS soon as the girl had gone she got
up and locked the door; then she rolled
mp her hair, put on dressing-gown,
and sat on the floor.
II have two hours In which to have
1t out with myself-this horror made
manifest" she said "How was it
that this most natural Of all complica-
tions never entered my head? wasn't
even warned by those new and alto
gether abominable feelings of weak
ness