Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-12-20
CHAPTER vi.

CHAPTER vi.
A STRANGE MIDNIGHT VISITATION.
The farmer scarcely waited to close
the door Of the room before question.
ing the doctor.
"Will she get over 1t. sir? VIII she
get over 1t? It's no use deceiving me,
sir. know she's very i'll. But-will
my dear get over 1t? Or will she-will
She
His voice faltered and died away.
Great drops of sweat stood upon his
forehead. He clutched the doctors
arm In grip of Iron.
1--WE must always hope for the best, "
began the doctor.
But at these doubtful words the
farmer spurned him with so much VIC
ience that 1t was only by a quick move
ment that Mason escaped being flung
down the stairs on the tiles of the out.
house below.
81 beg pardon. beg pardon. SIR
cried the farmer, contrite Immediately,
as he held out beseeching hand to-
ward the guest he had moment be-
fore treated SO roughly. But II you
knew how l feel, what 1t would mean
to me Tiff my glrl-my bonny girl
was to die Again his voice shook
SO much that it was almost inaudible,
you'd forgive me-"
He was trembling SO much that he
staggered and held on by the rough
stair rail for support. Mason, who
had gone down two or three steps,
looked up with warm pity into his
drawn and Quivering face.
Indeed" said the doctor, II am tell
ing you the truth when say you have
no need to give up hope. Your daugh-
ter is very Ill, there is no denying that.
But she is young. She has a fine ply
siQue, and we may well hope to pull
her through"
"What do you call the fever, sir, that
she's got?"
Pneumonia"
"Ah! That comes Of cold, don't 1T"
YES"
"That's got by being out in all
weathers, looking after the live stock
when was Ill myself. Poor Gwyn!
My poor little Gwyn! If you knew
what she was like, sir: what a sun
sine she is about the place, why you
wouldn't be surprised at my taking
on sop
do you leave her alone up therey'
asked Mason.
NO, sir. | was up with her myself
all night, and her granny's been with
her all day, till Gwyn herself sent her
down stairs to get my tea for me. And
tonight It's her brothers. turn, only
he's afraid, the blockhead"
''I'll do the watching tonight. But l
should like you to tell her who l am;
that I'm doctor and that there's moth
ing to be alarmed about. She seems to
be afraid of me-"
why, yes. sir; noticed 1t myself.
III speak to her. And thank you kind
ly. sir, for your offer. won't refuse,
for you'll know what to do for the
best for sure. and you wouldn't let her
die, a young thing like that, IL you
could help 1t, sir; that know"
"Of course not. But you have more
to hope from her youth and strength
than from anything or any one else
can do
"And now come, sir, and have bite
Of something yourself. You must be
starved, after all these hours In the
cold. Come. sir; come, and you're
heartily welcome to the best we've
got"
Transformed into the most attentive
Of hosts to the guest who was ready to
try to save his daughter, the farmer
drew Mason into the kitchen. where
another figure, that Of thickset,
heavy looking lad Of IL or II, now com.
pleted the strange party.
He was sitting covering over the fire
in his rough shepherds dress, and
when told by his father to lay the table
for supper, he rose clumsily, pulled his
hair by way Of salutation to the guest
and shambled awkwardly toward the
dresser In obedience.
"This gentleman" said the farmer,
Introducing Mason, "is doctor, and
he's promised to sit up with your sis.
ter Tom. So you can make yourself
easy, you can go to bed yourself and
snore yourself hoarse."
Tom raised his head at this intelli.
gence, and it was evident that he was
much relieved in his mind by it. He
saluted again and quickened his pace
as he laid the cloth on the table.
The old grandmother meanwhile sat
by the fire in exactly the same position
as when Mason had first entered the
house. And she watched the stranger
In exactly the same way as before
moving her eyes, but not her head, and
booking, now that he was less dazzled
by the lights and able to take better
view of her, more like a witch than
ever
The farmer, whose sense of hospital.
fly had grown keen with his gratitude
TO the doctor, now insisted on his com.
ing up stairs again to his own room
taking off his overcoat and his wei
boots and putting on pair of carpet
slippers belonging to the farmer him
self.
This bedroom, which was over the
kitchen. contained two beds, like the
11A0e. An4 NJ tusHanAs4 y ~ sne0l