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

And then Mrs. Stannard stood as
though she wished to bring the CONVEX
sation to an end and return to her sleep
ing patient, but Miss Maynard still fall
tered. She was fencing for time. She
did not wish to go home yet She
would have to face Ronald and answer
his questions.
And in the midst of the awkward
pause light football was heard on the
stairs 1t was Mrs. Freeman.
"I'm sure dispatches have come" she
murmured as she joined them "What
is the news?'
Silently Mrs. Stannard handed her
the open paper, which Mrs. Freeman
eagerly read.
We'll, then, there must be one for
me, she whispered. "Would you mind
going up and sitting with Nathalie
moment?" she asked of Mrs. Stannard.
81 will just hurry home and get what
may have come and a peep at the chill
dren and return in five minutes. -
And then from the inner room Mrs.
Barry's voice, low and gentle, was
heard demanding news, and Mrs. Stan
nard fastened to her SIDE
"I'H go to Miss Baird, Mrs Free
man, whispered Grace Maynard. &c
home by all means, AID do not como
back II you do not feel like it. / should
be glad to sit up with the poor girl.
I'm thoroughly accustomed to pursuing.
Mrs. Freeman looked troubled and
perplexed a moment, listened for sounds
from aloft, said vaguely: you're very
kind. IL think the DOCTORS medicines
are taking effect and that she is doing
off. l shan't be any time at ALL" Sc
saying the little matron let herself out
at the front door and fastened down
Tho row. Grace after listening mo-
ment slowly and softly assembled the
stairs and noiselessly entered the sick
room.
There in her little white bed lay the
patient, her wan face turned away from
the dim night light, nervously tapping
the Counterpart with her slender hand.
She did not turn, she did not speak as
the newcomer entered. Only by the
restless movement Of the hand and an
occasional impatient toss and sigh did
she show that she was awake and tor
mented by her thoughts.
1t had been Miss Maynard s intention
to speak and explain the situation. The
words were on her lips as she entered
the room; but, seeing that no apparent
notice was taken of her coming, she hest
tated, then decided not to explain or to
speak at all until somebody or some
thing should show that Nathalie had
discovered it was not Mrs. Freeman. II
might be embarrassing to say the least.
The strange girl had never liked her,
had always avoided and even shrun's
from her. 1t might only add to her agi
tation and distress to find stranger
seated by her bedside
Indeed Miss Maynard could think Of
a dozen reasons for silence, and SO,
qufstly seating herself in the chair left
vacant by Mrs Freeman, she glanced
over the little array of walls. glasses,
etc., left by the doctor, noted that the
shade of the kerosene lamp was careful
ly adjusted SO as to protect the invalid S
eyes from the light and then began a
quiet study Of the little room and its
simple furnishings.
! 1t was very like the one she herself
occupied at the STANDARDS, next door.
The two majors were quartered in one
big frame house with party wall, the
Railways being on the outer side and
the house itself differing from those in
i which the captains and lieutenants were
quartered in that it had little extra
room on each side under Clean to-
4 outside the hall and that the bedroom
on the ground floor was made large and
commodious, extending from the end of
the lean to crosswise to, the dining
room. Both Barrys and STANDARDS pre-
ferred their ground floor bedroom be-
cause the stairs We're steep and narrow
and Mrs. Barry would have chosen it
anyway, she being too much of an in
valid to climb. When the Barrys moved
from Fort Fred Winthrop to Russell
and into their quarters adjoining the
Stannards, Nathalie had gratefully ac.
cepted the second floor front as her bow
er and had fitted it up very prettily and
lived there for awhile, as we know,
very happily. Then came the episode of
the pebble throwing and the bulky
burly stranger who joined her on the
prairie walk, and then Nathalie had
shown an unlocked for timidity. She
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