Middletown transcript., 1901-01-26

upon the huge fur collars OF the two
men who sat on the box bolt-uprlght;
the fiat crystals frosted the windows o1
the landau so that the trained nurse
could see out only on one side. She sat
back in the luxurious vehicle. She mad
on the seat beside her the bag contain
ing her change of raiment; and sne
wondered, as she always did When
she was called unexpectedly to take
charge Of an unknown case, what man
ner of house it might be that she
was going to enter, and what KIND OF
people she would be forced to associate
with in the swift intimacy OF the SICK
room for an unknown period. That the
patient was wealthy and willing to spend
his wealth was obvious-the carriage,
the horses, the liveried servants, were
evidence enough Of this. That his name
was Swank she also knew; and she
thought that perhaps she had heard
about the marriage Of rich old man
named Swank to pretty young wife q
year or two ago. That he had been
taken sick suddenly, and that the case
might be serious, she had gathered from
the note which the doctor had sent to
summon her, and which had been
brought by the carriage that was now re-
turning with her.
She had ample time for speculation as
they drove up the Avenue in the early
darkness of the last day Of the year. The
Christmas wreaths still decked the win
dows of the hotels, although through the
steady snow she could see little more
than a blur of reddish-yellow light as
she sped past. There were few people in
the Avenue, except as they crossed the
broader side streets, now beginning to
be filed with the throng Of workers re-
turning home after the days labor
They passed st. Patrick's Cathedral, al
| ready encrusted with snow whittier than
its stone. They came to Central Park,
and they kept on, with its broad mead
ows on their left, gray in the descending
darkness. At last the carriage drew
up before house on a corner-a very
large house it seemed to the trained
nurse; and its marble front struck her
as cold, not to call it gloomy. Workmen
| were hastily erecting the frame of an
/ awning down the marble steps, and a
path had been made across the snowy
sidewalk.
The footman carried her bag up the
stoop and rang the bell for her.
The door was opened promptly by a
very British butler.
'aThis is the nurse for Mr.. Swank, 7"
said the footman. "Is he any better?'
'tE's about the same, I'm thinkin', Y
the butler responed. 'This way; please, F."
he said to the owner Of the bag, which
the footman deposited just inside the
door. '1'll take you up to Mr.. Swank's
room, and I'll send your bag up to you
afterwards"
The trained nurse followed the butler
up the massive wooden stairs, heavy
with dark carving. She noticed that the
house was now dimly lighted, and that
there was going and a coming Of ser
wants, as though in preparation for an
entertainment of some sort.
eve ave dinner on this evening, I"
the butler explained; 'only twenty
| four; but it's hard Mr. 'Swank amt 60
in to be able to come down. We're
keepin' the 'ouse dark now, so it won't
get too 'ot at dinner-time.
Whatever the reason for the absence of
adequate illumination, it made the up
per hall even more dismal than the one
below-so the trained nurse thought.
''That's Mr.. Swank's room there; and
'ere's lis dressin' room, that you're to
'ave-so the doctor said" the butler de-
clared, leading the stranger into small
room with lofty ceiling, and with one
window overlooking Central Park. The
shades had not been drawn; the single
gas-jet was burning dimly; there was no
fireplace; and sofa OIL one side had had
sheets and blankets put on it to serve as
her bed.
She almost shiyered, the place seemed
to her SO cherries. But her training
taught her not to think of her own com
fort
'tThis will do very WE'LL" she asserted.
''Pll tell them to fetch up your bag,
the butler said as he was about to with
draw. Would you be wanting any din
ner?''
"Yes," she answered, 81 would like
something to eat later-whenever it is
convenient. y
The butler left the room, only to reap
pear almost Immediately.
e.'Ere's the doctor now, "he announced,
holding the door open.
A tall handsome man, with a master
full mouth, walked in with soft, firm
tread.
$50 this is the nurse" he began.
''Miss Clement, isn't it? I'm glad you
were able to follow my note SO quickly.
If you will come into the next room,
where the patient is, as soon as you have
changed your dress, I'll tell you what I
wish you to do"
With that he left her; and in less than
ten minutes she followed him into the
large bedroom on the corner OF the house.
1t was an unusually spacious room, with
high ceiling and four tall windows.
There was dull red fire, which seemed
insufficient to warm even the elebarote
marble mantel. Almost in one corner
stood large bed, with thick curtains
draped back from canopy.
The doctor was sitting by the side Of
the bed as the nurse came into the room.
"This is Miss Clement, Mr. Swank, he
said in cheerful voice to the old man,
who lay in the bed montionless. "she
will look after you during the night"
Mr.. Swank made no answer, but he
opened his eyes and looked at the woman
u \