The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-04-13
| servant, his cnun, and no one can drive

servant, his cnunl, and no one can drive
me away from here"
The lady clutchcd her umbrella. The
veins of her forehead began to swell. She
moved her lips as if to speak. then she
turned slowly around and walked away
without saying n word. The girl flung
herself upon the large bear skin on the
floor and waited impatiently for Bans re-
| turn. She suddenly felt lonesome. Some
| thing frightened her. She was afraid in
the large room.
| Ban came in late ut night. He did not
| greet Ida. He threw his hat upon the
table and sat down in a big armchair.
| He was i'll at case. Finally he spoke. ut
| was my mother who was here today"
"And now you want to drive me
| away" exclaimed the girl, jumping to
| her feet.
For awhile the painter was silent.
"You must not talk in that way" he re-
marked 81 do not send you away, for
we were very good friends. We will al
ways be good friends. But, you know,
my mother is very strickland then-she
is right. l must avoid even the appear
ance of irregularty."
"Oh, it is unnecessary to drive me
away. can go by myself"
He paced the room in a Quandary.
"Not thus, Ida. We will not talk about
1t any more tonight. Let us wait and see
what the morrow will bring"
I4idaS face flushed. her blood rushed to
her head. No, she would not stay over
night-not another hour. She would
gather up her belongings, and then she
would leave him. Her possessions were
few-a little satchel held them all.
| "And now | am ready to go"'
Ban rose from his chair. "Stay, Ida.
You have done so much for me; you have
shaved for me. / should like TO do some
thing for you. Will you accept nothing
from me? He emptied all his pockets,
gathered up a numbct of bills, made a
roll of them and put it into her hand.
"Be sensible, Ida. shall be angry if
you refuse to take this"
Ida did not anger Kim. She bowed
! her head, took the money in her hand
and walked out. Ban wanted to recall
her, but he reflected and concluded that
since they must part from each other the
sooner and the quicker it was done the
better. He went to bed. His was n
restless night. In the morning he thought
of his mother. He rose, dressed and
started to go to her hotel. AS he opened
the door Of his studio he stopped short in
| amaZcment.
| "Lida.' he exclaimed. The girl was
sitting on tie porch, her face buried in
her hands, picture Of dull despair. She
was cold and shivcring; her face was
yellow, drawn and haggard. "Lida. Ida,
you did not spend the night sitting here?'
| Il thought you would call me back.
and l waited" She spoke slowly; her
voice sounded faint; tears ran down her
cheeks. Ban picked her up and carried
her into the room. Her face had under
gone change during the night. He saw
something strange in it.
My things are lying on the porch.
/ Please bring them in lest somebody
should carry teem of"
Ban piled blanket upon blanket over
her shivcring body. Still she was appar
emily shivering.
"lhe night was so long. l did not
know that night is 80 very long" she
murmurcd necessarily.
At noon she tried to rise. She sank
back upon her couch. When the evening
came. she WAS in fever heat. her face WAS
burning. her throat was parchGd. Ban
remained at her bedside day and night,
asking her over and over again. You are
not angry with NE. Ida. are you?"
t'No: l am not angry. but please do not
send me to the hospital" She was afraid
Of the large. gray building into which
they carry people alive and from which
they carry them away dead.
II will not let you leave me any more
Ida, never"
Ida looked happy. The fever heat in
creased. She became dclirious. She had
visions OF an old, severe and angry lady
who wanted to drive her out into the
strcet In her lucid moments she turned
to;sBan and asked him, These are only
dreams. are they not?"
One night she told Ban that she felt
well agsin. She no longer felt pain. She
was only weak. Ban was delighted, and
for the first time since her illness he went
to bed. In the morning he walked to
Lida's couch. She did not stir. Ida.
Lidar' he called her She did not move.
He caught her hand. 1t was cold and
rigid. He bent over her. Ida wss dead.
And on the day OF her death Ban said
what he repeated aftcrward so often to
his friends when they mentioned that
whimsical creature:
'She was only = model, but she was
good, pure and beautiful. like an angel
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