Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-09-08
Won by w aiting.
atBYt
EDNA LYALL.


casm. We'll, all | ask is that you
will consider somebody but yourself.
Christabel: perhaps you would have
the goodness to order the carriage in
time fer the S:35; the Lowdels are
going this evening"
With this, Cornelia-swspt out of the
room, to be waylaid or the stairs by
George with telegram t form in his
= hand.
Il am just going to the Office with
this, he said, showing Il to her
my mother will be delighted to have
Bertha, | am sure. and she ought not
to stay here, ought she?''
No no; the sooner the house is
empty the better" said Cornelia.
thinking only of Esperance's quiet,
and George hurried away, inwardly
blessing his little French cousin for
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
am nervous about the girls. you know.
but we shall only be in the way" shy
explained to Cornela, proving her
kindness still further by staying III
Esperance's room till the nurse
arrived.
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 poisoned well
and that Esperance's illness was full
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 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 fleeing.
She seemed to be living the siege
once more with all its horrors and
her delirious havings were almost
always of sortes, battle-felds, 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
coldness, 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
49, - Ia,
terpreting the feverish, impatient
wishes, always expressed in French.
TIE 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 lFard
of the previous privations and over
work. She could never have believed
that in such a 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 j..
The all-important twenty-first day
was one Of disappointment and dou-
Bile 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
Corneiia, thinking with a shudder
what poor Gaspard would say when
he heard. she Is really in such
danger. them"
The most imminent danger re-
piled the doctor accustomed to re-
gard Cornelia as hard matter-of-
fact lady, able TO stand anything.
an fact. Miss Collnson, fear It Is
my duty to tell you that I think il 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
a.. Il. ,,,a, e,at THROUGH -