Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-11-03

| pUluGlnS OUT 20 n6r GnaG II Sn0 mad been
annoyed OF alarmed by anything taking
place in front it was even easier for
some one to approach the rear than the
front window. But Nathalie said that
wasn't the reason. It might only be a
| Whim. At all events she couid acs
there, in the back room, hear the land
when it played wicked waltz music on
Sunday, suggested Mrs. Barry, with "a
smile. Nathalie thanked her in her
heart of hearts for asking no questions
and had told her no lies.
For nearly week now she had been
occupying this rear. room looking out
over the unloyely 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
Mnesian mouthings of the Empires
bouncer that fateful morning and, hur-
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 a
| 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 tn
an invalid, and had Hospitality hidden
the sister 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 her 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. Stannard' s 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, futtered in and out
as though comforting blessings on the
rooftree. 1t could never by any human
possibility occur to her that she would
be unwelcome 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
care 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
of the dimly lighted room. A bureau
with mirror and toilet stand was against
the wall next the entrance door. A lit
tie couch extended across the north end
of the room under some bookshelves.
The dormer window, daintily draped,
was almost at the foot Of the couch.
The washstand and little mirror stood
near the foot Of the bed. Nathalie's
trunk, covered with Navajo blanket,
was against the wall beyond the wash
stand, and quite tall, wardrobelike
arrangement for skirts and gowns was
built against the partition between the
front and rear rooms.
Everything looked dim and indistinct
In the faint light near the bedside, and
before seating herself Miss Maynard had
moved the chair so that instead of fac
ing the silent patient she had the little
table between her and the bed, and
here, her hands crossed idly in her lap,
she sat some time, CHANGING about the
room, thinking over with fluttering
heart her exciting and troublous inter.
view with Ronald, listening for any
sound from the invalid to indicate that
her services were needed thinking of
the strange array of circumstances that
had brought her to the bedside of this
dangerous girl, this unknown maiden
/ yyI0 t,a1 ctr k<>,, L
lured him from what the sister chose to
consider the path of love- honor and
duty and all the time vaguely wonder
ing whether it might not be providential
If it might indeed not have been
planned that she should thus be thrown
into intimate relations with the invader
and destroyer Of all her most cherished
| plans-if in truth it might not have
been one of the mysterious dispensations
of divine Providence that she should
now be here given full opportunity to
strike blow for right and justice, for
gentle Gertrude, patient and uncom
planning, yet suffering at home; for
Ralph, her hero lover, silent in the
grave-aye, even for her beloved broth
er's sake, bewitched and blinded as le
might be now, would he not later bless
and thank her for whatever she now
might do to break his chains?
And pondering with rapidly beating
heart over ali these things Grace May
nard noted that full half an hour had
gone by and Mrs. Freeman had not re.
turned 1t was fate
Away over at the guardhouse the SEN
try was calling the midnight hour.
There was a stir on the lower floor, and
Mrs. STANDARDS footsteps were heard
as she swept through the parlor into
the nall; then low and cautious her
voice was heard:
Miss Maynard!"
The young woman quickly arose and
fastened to the landing at the head of
the stairs
Eyes, Mrs. Stannard What is it?''
II fear something has detained Mrs
Freeman 1t is time for Nathalie to take
the medicine the doctor left for her
one teaspoonful in a little water from
the vial that stands in the saucer Is
u