Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1901-09-05
CHAPTER v.


one breath.
Yes, mademoIselles, said. uncoiiin
the iresa of hair as X Il had been sea
pcnt and going forward 20 greet them
ARE yoa surprised to see meia
"AHfprlaadGN crhaed the 6ldeF no
we are amazed petrlhedl However, dli
you set heref When aid sou GOMEZ
quite easily" replied II came ol
Sunday, and Tardif fetched me IN b..
own boat. II the weather had permlttel
should have paid you call; bur yoi
know what II has been"
'"ro be sure" answered emma; zane
how Is dear Juliay She win be very apx
lous about you"
"She was on the verge Of nervous at
tack when | left her" said; that vii
tend 20 Increase her anxiety"
Poor, dear girlf' she replied sympa
theticely. "Bnt, Martin. Is this younl
woman here so very ~? We have heard
from the Renonfs she had had danger
Gus fall. To think of yon being In Sart
ever since Sunday. aud we never heard
a word Of ltF'
rs that the young woman's hairr
"fes." ] replied: 1T was necessary Il
cut Il on. She Il dangerously IN with
fever"
Both Of them shrank little towards
the door, A sudden temptation assailed
me, and took me 80 much by surprise
that had yielded before | knew I was
attacked. II was their shrinking move
ment that did H. My answer was almost
as automatic AMI involuntary as their
retreat.
"Yon see II would not be wise for any
OF Us TO 10 about" said, "A fever
breaking cut IN the island. especially now
yon have no resident doctor. would be
very serious"
Thus ] secured isolation for myself aud
my patient. But why had been eager
to do soi eo,~l not answer that ques.
tion 10 myself. and did not ponder over
u many minutes, was impatient. yet
strangely reluctant. 10 look nt the aick
girl again, after the loss OF her beautiful
hair. The change In her appearance
struck the as singular. Her face before
had look OF suffering aud trouble, max
lng u almost old, charming as Il was:
now she had the aspect Of quite young
gifl. scarcely touching upon womanhood
We sat up again together that night,
Tardif aud l. He would not smoke, lest
the scent OF the tobacco should get in
through the ereyices OF the door, and les
sen the girls chance Of sleep; bur he held
his pipe between his teeth. taking an i'm
aginary pun now and then. that he might
keep himself Wide awake. We talked to
one another In whispers.
"rell me all you know about NAM.
Eelle," ! said. lie had been chary OF his
knowledge before. but his heart seemed
open at this moment. Most hearts are
more open at midnight than at any other
hour.
There's not much TO tell, Doctor" be
answered. 'Her name Is Olivier. as
said to You; but she does not think she
Is any kin 10 the 0lllviers Of Guernsey.
She Il poor, though she does not look as
II she had been born poor. does sheY"
mot In the least degree" | said. "If
she IL not lady by birth, she Is one Of
the first specimens Of Natures gentle.
folks ! have ever come across. Has she
written to any one since she came hereYr
mot TO soul" he answered eagerly.
"She told me she had no friends nearer
than Australia. That Is great way
off,"
"And she has had no lettersT' asked.
mot one" he replied. "She has nelth-
er written nor received single letter"
but how did you come across herT |
inquired. "She did not fall from the
skies, | suppose. How was II she came
TO live In this out-of-the-worid place with
your"
I'll tell you all about It. Doctor Mar
tin" he said, and he related how he had
met the young lady In London.
"Tardlf." said, when he had con
cluded the recital, II did not know what
a good fellow you were. though ought
to have learned II by this time.'
mo" he answered, 1T Is not In me;
it's something In her. You feel some
thing Of 1t yourself, doctor, or how could
YOU stay In poor little house like this.
thinking Of nothing but her, and not car
Ing about the weather keeping you away
from homer There was curious thing
she had not any luggage with her, not
a box nor a bag Of any kind. She never
fancled that knew, for that would have
troubled her. It Is my belief that she
has run away"
But who can she have run away from,
Tardiff' asked.
Heaven knows" he answered, "but
the girl has suffered; you can see that
by her face, Whoever or whatever she
has run away from, her cheeks are white
from 1t, and her heart sorrowful. |
know nothing Of her secret; but this |
do know: she Is as good, and true. and
sweet little soul as my poor little wife
was. II she should die, 1t will be A great
grief Of heart to me. If could offer my
life to God In place of hers, I'd do II
willingly" Is.
"No, she will not die. Look there, Tar
dlfp' said, pointing to the door sill Of
the inner room, A white card had been
slipped under the door noiselessly--a sig
nal agreed upon between mother Renouf
and me, to inform me that my patient
had at last fallen into a profound slum-
ber, which seemed likely to continue
some hours.
The morning was moro than half gone
before mother Renouf opened the door
and came out to us, her old face looking
more haggard than ever, but her little
eyes twinkling with satisfaction.
All goes we'll, she said. ''Your lit.
tie mam'zelle does not think Of dying
yet" q
did not stay to watch how Tardif re-
ceived this news, for | was impatient
myself to see how she was going on.
Thank heaven, the fever was gone, the
delirium at an end. The dark gray eyes,
opening languldly as my fingers touched
her wrist, were calm aud intelligent.
She was as weak ms kitten, but that
did not trouble me much. was sure her
natural health was good, and she would