Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-11-01
Administering the medicine, Helen
seated herself in a low chair by MS


side.
Mr.. Reynolds was better. Andrew
told her. The physicians said there
was no present danger, II he were kep'
quite free from excitement OF my klho.
The news of Mr.. Harry's illness a
baan carefully concealed from him
during the day. The physicians a
nretended that they could allow MIN
TO see no one.
h listened silently to the news the
old servant brought. 81
Ordering dinner served in her own
room. she forced herself, when IL was
brought, TO swallow a few mouthtuis
| of food and take a glass of III
1t was past eight o'clock when the
| service was cleared away, and the doc-
| tor had not yet returned. 1t would not
| do to be absent at the time or his VS.
it: and yet, at nine o'clock she u
again confront the living spectre or hei
past.
She started. She had forgotten that
she must have ready for him the sum
he had required Of her.
She went to her purse. 1t contained
| but twenty dollars. She examined her
| husbands clothes. The pockets held
forty more. She still lacked forty OF
the needed sum.
Well, this must satisfy him for to-
night. Tomorrow she would send him
what she now lacked. Tomorrow!
| oh. If tomorrow were to-day! IF this
! terrible temptation which assailed hel
in all the might of its silence and its
horror were dispelled by the light Of
another day!
Another half-hour passed.
Would the doctor come? Yes!
A knock sounded on the door.
She rose and admitted him for whom
| she had so a~nxiously waited. He en-
tered with many apologies for his en-
forced delay.
He found his patient improving, he
said. Doubtless by tomorrow his
| youth and splendid strength would
have reasserted themselves. Already
his eyes showed that his brain was re-
| covering it's normal condition.
But his examination was close and
long.
Helen almost shrieked to him to go
and leave her to herself as the hands
of the clock moved toward nine.
If she did not meet Tom Window at
the appointed time and place, what
action might he not take?
Later she might defy him, but just
now each minute was more precious
than gold.
The hour struck when at last DR..
Hope turned toward her. His keen.
professional eye noted her pallor, and
the excitement visible in every fea-
ture.
He bent and let his fingers meet at
her wrist. Her pulse was beating high.
Take care, Mrs. Reynolds said,
waTningly. "or you will be my next
patient. You must not let anxiety for
your husband take this phase. He IS
doing better than I dared hope. A lit
tie care and nursing. and he will be
himself again. Cannot some one take
your place tonight? You are too
nervous and o~verstrung."
I would trust no one else" she an
swered.
II Will call early in the morning,
then. Goodnight"
Good night" she answered, me-
chanically.
The door opened and closed. He was
gone. She listened to the sound OF his
iCliV lLlllS lOoNSACpS. 90 SthS a IoISli-
ed to those of Grace. She waited un-
til all was still.
The hands of the clock showed ten
more minutes gone. Catching up a
cloak, she threw it about her and hast
ened down the stairs.
Grace met her in the lower hall.
"Helen!" she cried. rs Harry
worse?"
mo. But I must have air." she an
swered. 81 am going into the garden"
And with the last words mingled the
sound of the closing of the front door.
Once more, with hurrying feet, she
went to meet the man whose word was
her only law. Rebel as she would, her
rebellion was as hopeless as tina of
the slave to his master.
He blu fastened tighter her chains,
and h dragged them more hopelessly
and more heavily than before. But
the hour was ripening when she might
strike off the letters HI had forged.
Had not Harry said:
IF you were but free!"
h reached the place appointed. All
was still and deserted.
She softly called his name. No an
swer came. Pacing to and fro, she
waited.
Five. ten, fifteen minutes passed;
but. no football broke the stiffness. no
sound announced her wc.ting at an
end.
Had he come? Had he gone"
Vain the questions, save to offer
fresh torture to her mind.
A half-hour went by, and she knew
that she need wait no longer. What
ever his failure to meet her betokened,
he would not come now.
Retracing her steps, she FASTENED
homeward. AS she reached the door
she paused.
Better, perhaps, to turn and flee into
the darkness than to enter that house
tonight.
Her brain seemed on fire: every
pulse was surging and throbbing. Her
hands and feet were cold as ice.
But her hesitation lasted only for
the moment. She turned her key In
the lock and entered, closing the door
noiselessly behind her, and quietly
stealing her way up the stairs.
Noiselessly she opened the door of
her WI room, shut and barred Ii. She
dropped the cloak from her shoulders
to the floor, where 1t lay u%nheeded.
She walked to the bed and stood
L