The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-18


tent.
asked Mrs. Barry If she might movs
into the rear room. whose dormer win.
dows looked out over the prairie. and
Mrs. Barry promptly acquiesced. though
pointing out to her that if she had bean
annoyed or alarmed by anything taking
place In front It was even easier To-,
some one to approach the rear than the
front window. But Nathalie said that
wasn't the reason. It might only be .
whim. At all events she could not
there. in the back room, hear the band
when it played wicked waltz music on
Sunday. suggested Mrs. Barry. with O
smile. Nathalie thanked her in her
heart of hearts for asking no questions
and had told her no lies.
For nearly q week now she had been
occupying this rear room looking out
over the unlovely landscape of back
yard. broken fence. barren prairie and
hospital grounds. Yet SO wakeful had
she become, SO troubled her sleep, that
she had almost instantly heard the
Muesian mouthings Of the Empires
houncer that fateful morning and. bur-
rying into wrapper and slippers and
almost any loose garments, had hasten
ed down to still his clamor and protect
her protector from the possibility of u
scene.
When Maynard was brought back to
the post from his room at the hotel,
Major Stannard had promptly placed
the front room of his quarters at his
disposal. as being the one best suited to
an invalid, and had Hospitality hidden
the ulster to occupy the one in the rear.
She thanked her entertainers very prop.
erly, indeed very gratefully, and told
them then that just as soon as Ronald
was well enough for her to leave him
she must hasten back to resume the care
Of Der father. Ronald had now been we'll
enough for her to leave for several days,
but Miss Maynard had not begun to
pack her trunks, nor was there anything
in Mrs STANDARDS manner, even after
the intimacy with Mrs. Turner began
to glow at white heat, to indicate that
she was wearying Of her guest Mrs.
Turner. Of course, fluttered in and out
as though comforting blessings on the
rooftree It could never by any human
possibility occur to her that she would
he nnwelcome anywhere, and it was she
who silenced the faint scruples which
Miss Maynard confessed to and babe her
rest assured that the STANDARDS were
only too glad to have her stay and take
,are Of Mr.. Maynard, as otherwise they
would have to do it themselves.
1t was very late--nearly half past II
when Miss Maynard took her seat by
Nathalie's bedside and began her survey
If the dimly lighted room. A bureau
With mirror and toilet stand was against
he wall next the entrance door, A lit.
10 couch extended across the north end
# the room under some bookshelves.
The dormer window, daintily draped,
vas almost at the foot of the couch.
The washstand and q little mirror stood
lear the foot Of the bed. Nathalie's
runk. covered with Navajo blanket,
vas against the wall beyond the wash
tand. and quite tall, wardrobelike
arrangement for skirts and gowns was
uilt against the partition between the
ront and rear rooms.
Everything looked dim and indistinct
D the faint light near the bedside, and
efore seating herself Miss Maynard had
loved the chair so that instead of fac
lg the silent patient she had the little
able between her and the bed, and
ere, her hands crossed idly in her lap,
10 sat some time, glancing about the
,om, thinking over with fiuttering
cart her exciting and troublous inter.
lew with Ronald, listening for any
,und from the invalid to indicate that
er services were needed. thinking Of
,e strange array of circumstances that
ad brought her to the bedside of this
angerous girl, this unknown maiden
no had stolen her brothers. heart and
red him from what the sister chose to
'nsider the path Of love. honor and
,ty and all the time vaguely wonder.
8 whether It might not DO providential
If it might indeed not have been
AIMED that she should thus be thrown
TO intimate relations with tho invader
I'd destroyer Of all her most oherished
ans-if in truth IL might not have
en one Of the mvstsrinns dianapsations |