Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-10-14

l.ng-so startling. indeed. that | gulped
down a glass of wine to quiet my brist-
I.rg scus.bilities. No wonder Mark
Gerard had sent her abroad and TO the
cast. With that face confronting him,
his apprehcnsions. poor devil. must
have run riot.
There is thunder in The air" said
Miss Nancy. raising her heavy lids.
"Thun6er?' I repeated, ineredulous-
ly.
And lightning. Well, it will clear the
atmosphere. The barometer has been
at set fair long enough"
Her perspicacity confounded me-
With men of all sorts and conditions |
was familiar; with women had come
but seldom in contact.
Yes, we are smarter than YOU think" :"
she said. divining my thoughts. BY
the-bye, why do you dislike Demet-
rius?"
Your mother says he is pagan"
so was Marcus Aurelius. Mr.. Liv-
iugston, why can't you talk TO me
frankly? Forget that am a girl"
She spoke gravely-with emphasis.
without excitement. A man, re-
fected, might do well to pick up the
gauntlet she had thrown down. \
friendly contest of wits was just the
tonic | needed but Mark Gerard had
my word, and my tongue was tied.
"Demetrius, Miss Nancy, is a Greek
with n Greeks subtlety and cunning.
Unless | am very much mistaken, he
las served Mr.. Gerard, faithfully, I'll
admit, because it was TO his interest TO
do so. He believes in the doctrine OF
eXpediency, that the end justifies the
means. That is why l call him pagan"
Yes" she said, thoughtfully, you
are right. Hush!"
She moved swiftly across the room,
opened the door, glanced keenly to
right and left. and returned to her chair
Il thought" she whispered, that
] heard Il noise outside. l was mis-
taken"
Your nerves are"
"In excellent order, thank you. Mr..
Livingston" her voice betrayed for
the first time eNicitement-"look! lie
is coming to-"
l sprang to my feet, and together we
approached the bed and bent inquiring
ly over the patient. His eyelids twitched
corvulsivcly, and then opened. The
man was conscious. At the same mo-
ment my ear caught the sound of dis
tinct crcak in the passage. Ny eyes
sought Miss Nancy's.
That was what l heard just now,"
she ma dred ITS nothing; all these
wooden houses creak."
Burlington monopolized our attention,
and no more was said. The doctor had
left instructions, which were followed
to the letter. Miss Nancy supported the
sick mans head, while I, with tea
spoon, fed him slowly with prepared
bouillon. Burlington swallowed the
broth with difficulty, and made no at
tempt to speak. lie was not violent,
and apparently was not in pain. We
waited patiently for his first words.
"Where am II" he stammered, when
the broth was consumed and his head
once more upon the pillow.
with friends" l answered.
"Friends?" His voice was singularly
strong and harsh. II have no friends.
Ha! I remember; the cave, yes-and
the boy"
He attempted to move, and groaned
deeply.
"Mr. Burlington, you know me, l
think; Hugo Livingston. Let me en-
treat you to keep perfectly quiet. Don't
move, and don't talk. l can give you
hypodermic injection; but you are
better without it. The doctor will be
hero to morrow morning carly"
He nodded and closed his eyes. Of
course further talking between Nancy
and me was impossible. We sat in 81
lence through the watches of the night,
performing from time to time such of
fees as were required.
The birds had begun to twitter their
mathis when the doctor drove up. He
had been attending a dying patient,
He protested against Nancy's vigil, and
pronounced the patient in no immedi-
ate danger.
"You will please go to bed, Miss Ger
ard, or at any rate lie down. insist.