Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-18
only climbed the mountain in its natural


down its winding length, nor seemed to
notice how | dragged my feet cautiously
along the carpeted way and dug In my
/ heels at each fresh turn. so full was of re
membered tales ofayawning pits into which
victims. such as |. We're made to fall. Some
of these pits had been lined with naked
blades. and | seemed to feel their sharp
edges Spearing at my joints. 1t was with
a gasp of relief paused with my guide at
the extreme end of the passage. where
after a clicking sound which | could have
sworn was the turning of key in the
| lock, he swung door open before me and
! was gently pushed into the apartment of
my patient.
While I was downstairs in the pres
ence of my dark browed companion and
his evil-looking animal, with the combative
thrill OF suspected danger tingling through
my veins, | wouldn't have imagined that
could ever feel the skulkins criminal
d1d when / at length realized that | was
actually standing in the apartment of some
suffering woman. in no licensed character
with no power to alleviate her sufertngs,
merely there as a frivolous adventurer
though it may be conceded, an unfortunate
one. Any male relative would have been
justified could | have been unmashed. in,
then and there, pitching me bodily from the
window Indeed. at that moment, / think
| should have blessed the avenging foot
"h1cn should have removed me from the
scene OF my confusion; and yet had any
one searched my heart as L dragged my
heels heavily behind me across the thresh-
old he would have found 1t so filed with
shame ana contrition, so Astounding i'm re-
Spectful compassion. that, had he been
human being, he would have been more in
chnei to take me by the hand and lead
me forth like some plying elder brother
n small white bed stood in one corner.
uraped about with some pinkish stuff, just
what could not tell, for l had not the
temerity to more than glance in that d.
fect1on, and when a tall portly woman
rose slowly from one of the dark corners
ana confronted me, should certainly have
ut foot bod CHI r,al,
as pointed finger of suspicion at me.
How IS she row, Mrs Hoskins? Still I'M
conscious? asked my companion shortly.
He seemed filled with restless impatience
ana looked at the woman as though much
iiicl.hed TO leap at her throat and drag
me words from her. without waiting for
| the process of articulation
from the look she gave him l gathered
that she, too. felt that time was grudyed
ner out she was Of a rambling habit Of
'houSht, and could not concentrate, what
ever the need She's been a laying much
as you see her, sir. but / give her them
crops she said nervousy. That's four
Shes mad since H. counting-but no,
fcrgot-she heaved them first into the wash
bowl"
Her employer eyed her until she shifted
uneasily to another foot. She don't take
the hot milk DIS | could WISH she ran on
as though hoping to strike something pro-
pitlous, but was cut short by a stern ges-
ture.
The creature fairly drps with talk" my
most muttcred, irritably
Would the doctor like to see the young
LADY, asked the nurse amably, while at
the fatal word young" | came well nigh
leaping into the air and a species of death
damps broke out all over me.
It's very probable he would came dimly
to my failing senses. That was my main
object in sending for him"
Dead to irony, Mrs. Hoskins took this
able stab in good part and with a loose
motion of her thumb beckoned me to follow
her as she approached the dainty white bed.
For full moment as it seemed, l stood
in hansdOg uncertainty, and then as the
woman glanced back in surprise, l followed
her, with a sinking at my heart which
seemed really dangerous to its safety. For
a long time, as it seemed l walked and
walked. Then a curtain moved aside; some
one held up a smoky lamp at a better
angle. and | saw shall never forget til
saw before me one of the most charming
women / had ever behed have ever since
bcheld. | do net say that she was pretty:
] did not go that far | passed the analyti
cal stage at single bound. But | knew
she was charming, with her crisp, dark
hair curling about her flushed cheeks. he"
spare little chin surmOunted with scarlet
lips and the SauciaSt little nose that ever
defied humanity in general. How she was
dressed | cannot say. only that it was in
something pink, much the color of the bed
hangings. and l think it made up
baggy, though that isn't exactly the word
for it either. Her eyes were closed. for
which | was humbly grateful, for had she
Looked at me during those first dreadful
moments she must have read me like an
open book
Somebody showed chair under me. and
I sat down gratefully. for my knees were
shaking beneath me; and then, feeling that
the eyes of both Brown and Mrs. Hoskins
were upon ne. | realized that must imme
diatey do something to sustain my pro-
fessional role. l must question them, that
was plain; but what to ask, on the rare
nrca Sious when [ had been indiSDOSed back