The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-11-08

on Whefher she would or not.
Five years, because that time was
needed to put his new purchase in the
best paying condition; also q year
longer than Janet's taboo, because the
young man sought to outdo her in the
matter of obstinacy. Somehow he felt
sure that Janet loved him, at any rate
she loved no one else.
Letters passed to and fro frequently
during the first four years. Young
Masters always sent his love and re-
spects to Mother Grey" but never
once showed any disposition to again
break taboo. For some reason this was
not all to the liking of Miss Janet. She
had discovered soon after he left for
Mexico that she did love him, and that
her profession was not just what she
wanted most, after all; but she was too
proud to say so, and she completed
her course and became full-fedged
sister of the Red Cross in due time.
Early in the fifth year something had
happened. Something seemed to pull
strangely at Janet's heart strings. Let
ters came but irregularly from Mexico,
/
| ters were received from Masters. Two
of her own letters remained unan-
sweRe6 and third had been returned
to her by the post Office. A letter sent
to the Mexican postmaster brought no
reply, and now this dreadful yellow
fever plague had stricken the land
where Masters planta ton was located.
Now, as she was speeding swiftly
over the rails toward Mexico, she
pondered over these things. Did she,
would he, think it unwomanly of her
self to seek him unasked'? She would
not believe that, for had not her own
mother agreed that she must go at
once? Poor Jack, was he suffering
| alone out there among strangers? Was
he alive? A long. sad journey full of
hopes and fears, misgivings, doubts
and fatigue; but all things have an
end.
] A final change to a snail-like branch
road, then the yellow flag and the an
nouncement that passengers were not
permitted to enter the fever district.
| A hasty consultation with a cring-
ingly polite official, and pass to go
on, as she was trained nurse. Then
the dirty station at Panuco. Almost at
her journeys end-what would she
find? A sense of her own littleness
and helplessness came upon her for a
moment, then was gone again.
| Did the dirty little boy with don.
key cart know where Senior Masters
plantation was? His name was Pip
po, he knew the plantation, but surely
the beautiful senorita would not wish
to go there. They said Senor Masters
was dead of the fever; he would not
wish to disappoint the senorita, but
he had no wish to go to the planta
ton.
A few silver coins, an appeal from
two wet, soul-touching eyes, and Pip
po thought he might drive her nea7
the plantation, where she might wall
to it If she must. 1t was useless Il
. go, though, for was not the plantation
deserted? Had not FIR. Antonio, th'
priest, said week ago that the seno
was dying? That was after he hat
been taken home to his plantation t
die. Yes, he would take her near tn
plantation he would wait one littl
hour for her, maybe two.
II her heart was being torn during
that long dusty ride her face gave NJ
warning of it. From Pippo sh
learned that Senior Masters had beel
imprisoned for nearly ten months o.
! a false charge, that he had contract
ed the fever in prison. The real d
fender had been discovered and ha,
. confessed and the senor was set free
FIR. Antonio had been kind to tn
senor, for the senior had been good
the church and the poor. He woul
not let an innocent man die in priso
and had taken HIM home to the plan
tation to die. There faithful ser,
. ant had cared for him, but wee
. ago the father had said the seno
: could not live, his case was hopeless.
Surely the senior was dead, but
had not seen the priest since. Tn
, senior was good man and had bee
kind to Pippo. Pippo's heart wa
sore for the beautiful senorita VIII
had come so fa- to find the senor.
She left Pippo at the entrance t
the plantation and hurried to tn
house. The place seemed deserted
Then the sound of q darky's voice,
: real Virginia darky, singing: 30! Carr
!. me back to ole VirginnT, to ole Vii
!. ginia shore" came softly from som'
where above. Hope grew stronge
and Janet hurried in the direction {
, the singer.
The sound of footsteps silenced tn
. voice and then she heard: ''De Law
: be praised. He done sabed de mass;
. De angel hab come. Peter he hear
her a. comm an de angels Miss Jane
!. in de flesh, sure as dis niger hal
: prayed for her"
r 1t was Peter, good old garrulot
4 Peter! SLe knew ia k was alive no
n and in another moment she was knee
, ing by her lovers bedside.
a The sick man recognized her. 81
O was there, he was too weak then
know or care how. she was there, h
s | soft cool hand on his forehead III,