Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-09-08
Won by w aiting.
EDNA LYALL.

tHlAhluS only Ol ESpefdnCe 5 quiet
and George hurried away, inwardly
blessing his little French cousin fol
her opportune illness.
The Lowdells, too, were packing with
all possible speed, for their mother
had considerably proposed to go that
/ evening. Not the least because I
am nervous about the girls, you know
/ but we shall only be in the way" she
explained to Cornelia, proving her
/ kindness still further by staying in
Esperance's room till the nurse
arrived. 49,
| So the deanery was speedily emp
, tied, and the next day found only the
dean and Cornelia left behind, to hear
with dismay that they had all been
drinking water from a poisoned well,
and that Esperances illness was ful-
ly accounted for. She had for long
been very much out of health, owing
to the privations and shock of the
siege, and had naturally been the
first victim.
Cornelia had never dreamed Of
acting as a sick-nurse before, and felt
hopelessly at a loss when the trained
nurse went to take her rest, and she
was called to take her turn with the
patient. Luckily, at first, Esperance
was fairly quiet, but later on Cornelia
was frightened out of her wits by her
wild rawlings, and the strange language
seeemd to make it all the more terri
BILE. Those hours revealed to her
more of Esperance's life and character
than she had ever known before, and
her fathers name was so continually
on her lips, that Cornelia was more
and more rebuked for having ever
ventured to call French love shallow
and 1eeting.
She seemed to be living the siege
once more with all it's horrors, and
her delirious havings were almost
always of sorties, battle-fieIds, and
partings, while day after day she
would rehearse in anguish the scene
at her fathers death-bed. Then
would come cries for Gaspard, almost
as piteOus, or lamentations over his
poverty and sufferings, with refer
ences to the luxurious living at the
deanery, which made Cornelia shudder,
in their vivir contrast. Occasionally.
but much less often, her own private
troubles would be her subject-Mrs.
Mortlake's injustice, or Cornelia's
GOODNESS, and the hundred little misun-
derstandings which made life at Ril-
chester so wearing, while the NAL du
pays, which had beset her so strongly
when she first came to the deanery.
was fully revealed to her cousin.
After the first day, Cornelia's study
was deserted; whenever her father did
not need her she was with Esperance,
waiting on her with more skill than
might have been expected, and prov
ing a great help to the nurse by in
terpreting the feverish impatient
wishes, always expressed in French.
The days and weeks passed by slow
ly, and her anxiety deepened, for
there was no lessening in the fever
and the doctors held out very little
hope, more especially when they heard
of the previous privations and over
"'ih No1C Coulu hCNCI nave DSll6Ntt
that in such short time she could
have grown so fond of her little cous-
in, and her daily watching was becom-
ing very painful, though she would
not have given it up for the world
The all-important twenty-frst day
was one of disappointment and dou-
bic anxiety, for there was no shade
of Improvement, and the fever ran
frightfully high. The doctor took
COrnelia aside after his second visit.
IF Mademoiselle de Mabillon has any
near relations they should come at
once" he said, gravely.
She has none in England said
Cornelia, thinking with a shudder
what poor Gaspard would say when
he heard. She is really in such
danger then?''
The most imminent danger" re-
piled the doctor, accustomed to re-
gard Cornelia as a hard, matter-of-
fact lady, able to stand anything
"In fact, Miss Collinson, | fear it is
my duty to tell you that I think it a
great question if she pulls through the
next twenty-four hours"
Cornelia turned ashy pale. and the
doctor a little surprised, fastened to
add, unless we find there is more
fever tonight, it is just possible then
that she may get through"
Cornelia could not speak. With a
heavy sigh she turned again to the
sick-room, where each moan of pain,
each delirious exclamation, seemed to
pierce her heart. A sense of respon-
sibility, too, overpowered her; there
was something dreadful in the thought
that this child was left alone save for
her; she wished she had loved her
more, or could make her understand
even now that she loved her, but it
was too late, and the consciousness OF
her loneliness evidently haunted Es,
perance, for to-day, mixed with bel
entreaties to her father and GasparG
to come to her, were piteous descrip
lions of fCrlorn helplessness.
The time was so very critical tina
the doctor remained for some hours
the nurse and Cornelia stood by thu
bed too, though there was little to d.
but to watch that terrible struggl,
between life and death.
In the evening, the dean came t,
the door, as usual, to make inquiries
and the doctor brought him into tn
room, having prepared him for tn
, worst. He was quite overcome, an
the mere sight Of Esperance was
, shock TO him, as she lay pirowe,
high, her forehead bandaged, he