Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-07-02


washed bare by the rains. Above his
head rose the clear blue African sky.
At his side were the saddlebaEs full OF
womeu's clothing Gregory looked up
half p,a'u;ivcly into the blue sky.
Am !. am ! Gregory Nazianzen
Rosef" he said
IL was nj 80 strange, he SlttinG there
In that "sloot" IN that up country
plaln-strange as the fantastic chang
ting shapes IN a summer cloud. At last,
tired out, he fell asleep, with his head
against the bank When he woke the
shadow had stretched across the
'.sloot." and the sun was on the edge
of the plain. Now lie must be up and
doing. He drew from his breast poCk-
ct = little sixpcnny looking glass and
hung It on one Of the roots that stuck
out from the bank Then he dressed
himself ID one of the old fashioned
gowns and a great pinked out collar.
Then he took Out a razor. TuTt by tuft
the soft brown beard fell down into
the sand and the little ants took 1t to
line their nests with Then the glass
showed q face surrounded by frtlled
cap. white Us n woman's, with a little
mouth, n very short upper lip and a
reccding chin.
Presently Il rather tall woman's fig
ure was making is way across the
weld" As It passed a followed ont
ant heap IL kuelt down and stuffed in
the saddlebags with the mans cloth
Ing. closing up the ant Hill with bits Of
ground TO look as natural as possible.
Like sinner hiding his deed Of sin, the
bIfer started once and looked round,
but yet thrre was no one near save q
"mcerkat." who had lifted herself out
OF her hole and sat on her hind legs
watching He did not like that even
she should see, and when he rose she
dived away into her hole. Then he
walked on leisurely, that the dusk
might have reached the village streets
before he walked there. The first
house was the smiths, and before the
he hurried up the street in the gather
ing gloom he heard them laugh long
and loudly behind him. He glanced
round fearingly and would almost have
fled but that the strange skirts clunG
about his legs And, after all. 1t was
only a spark that had alighted on the
head OF one and not the strange figure
they laughed at.
The door Of the hotel stood wide
open, and the light fell out into the
street He knocked. and the landlady
came. She peered out to look for the
cart that had brought the traveller, but
Gregory's heart was brave now he was
so near the quiet room. He told her
he had come with the transport wa@
ons that stood outside the town.
He had walked In and wanted lod0
ings for the night.
1t was deliberate lie, gllbly told
He would have told 30, though the re,
corlling angel had stood in the next
room with his pen dipped in the ink
What was 1t TO him? He remembered
that she lay there, saying always, 81
am better"
The landlady put his supper IN the
little parlOr where he had sat In the
morning When It was on the table,
she sat down In the rocking chair, as
her fashion was, to knit and talk, that
she might gather news for her custom
ers In the taproom. In the white face
under the queer, deep fringed cap she
saw nothing of the mornings traveller.
The newcomer was communicative.
She was nurse by profession, she
said; had come to the Transvaal hear
Ing that good nurses were needed
there She had not yet found work.
The landlady did not perhaps know
whether there would be any for her In
that town?
The landlady put down her knitting
and smote her fat hands together.
If It wasn't the very finger of Gods
providence, as though you saw 1t hang
ing out of the sky, she said. Here was
a lady III and needing a new nurse that
very day and not able to get one to her
mind, and now-wel, If 1t wasn't
enough to convert all the atheists and
freethinkers IN the Transvaal she
didn't know.
Then the landlady proceeded to de-
tail facts.
I'm sure you win suit her" she add
ed. You're just the kind. She has
everything that lriorRieS iH rRiaS you WIN, nua n"I
got a letter with check in It tof, -
the other day from some one who says
I'm to spend it for her and not to lei
her know She is asleep now, but III
take you In TO look at her"
The landlady opened the door Of the
next room, and Gregory followed her
A table stood near the bed, and lamI
burning low stood on 1t. The bed was
a great four poster with white cur
tains, and the quilt was Of rich Grim
son satin, but Gregory stood just in
side the door, with his head bent low
and saw no farther.
Come nearer! I'll turn the lamp VI
a bit that you can have u look at her
A pretty thing, isn't it?" said the land
lady.
Near the foot Of the bed was a den
In the crimson quilt, and out Of 1t Doss
small head and bright eyes looked
knowingly.
"see how the lips move. She Is u
pain" said the landlady. Then Greg
ory looked mp at what lay on the cush
ion, n little white, white face, trans
parent as an angels, with a clotl
bound round the forehead and wit
soft, short hair tossed about on tn
pillow.
1--WE had TO cut It of" said the We
man, touching 1t with her foretinger
soft as silk, like Il wax dolls"
But Gregory's heart was bleeding.
"Never get up again, the docto
says" said the landlady.
Gregory uttered one word. In an II
slant the beautiful eyes opened widel
and looked round the room and into tn
| dark corners.
who is here? Whom did 1 hea
speak,
"Only this lady, ma'am, n nurse b
profession She Is willing to stay an
take care of you if you can come
terms with her"
Lyndall raised herself on her e
bow and cast one keen, scrutintzin
| glance over him.
"Have I never seen you beforeY sh
asked.
NO"
| She fell back wearily.
perhaps you would like 10 arrang
the terms between yourselves" sal
the landlady. Here is chair l wi
| De back presently"
Gregory sat down, with bent hea
and quick breath. She did not spea
and lay with half closed eyes, seemin
| 10 hnvn forgotten him.