Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-02-12
CHAPTER XVI.


Tregaron heard him in silence and
shrugged his shoulders sullenly. Coch
Tai, who was working with Tom with
In hearing, leaned on his spade to listen
to the doctors account, which he re-
ceived with derisive laugh.
won't let you help with the dig
ging, won't she" said he in jeering
tone. "She can be thoughtful for some
folks, for sure!'
The farmer silenced him immedi-
ately.
IF she's got fancy, we must humor
her, l suppose, eh. sir? But to be sure
she's not at all like our Gwyn when
she's wellv'
"Well. we may compound with our
consciences," said Mason as he seized
a spade which lay near him. She's
not so i'll as she imagines nor In So
much danger Of a bad night as she
believes. ! can take a hand with you
and look in at her now and then, and
If sine still has the fancy tonight that
we must sit up with her we must all
take turn at it, that's ALL!
On the next occasion Of his visiting
the sickroom Mason found the girl 81
lent and sullen. She had heard his
voice outside and knew that he had
been working with the others.
81 told you to rest" she said per-
emptorily. land you had better have
done so. for you will have to sit up to-
night all the same"
She persisted in this whim, and In
spite Of her fathers remonstrances
she made the doctor and her grand
mother watch during the whole Of that
night, although 1t was clear to every
body that there was no further need
for such a precaution. Mason got
what sleep he could in the armchair,
quite satisfied that there was no need
for him to keep awake. And il the
morning. when he found her still on
the highroad to complete recovery.
with a good pulse and normal tenn
perature, he laughed at her fancies
and tried to tease her out of them.
But she was just as rigid in her at
titude as on the preceding day.
"If fancy l am going to be very
ILL.," persisted she, land If fancy also
that l am going to be neglected and
lett to myself, it is just as bad for me
as being really very ILL.,"
81 promise you.' said Mason kind.
ly, that you shall neither be neglected
nor left alone, however wild your fan
cies may seem to u.s.
She flashed up into his face sudden
look of gratitude and pleasure which
touched him strangely. In spite Of the
whimsicality of her caprices or per-
haps indeed partly on account Of them
he found his interest in his patient In
crease with every hour. The mystery
which hung about her and about the
household to which she belonged, the
earnestness and passion which he had
discovered in even so short and re-
stricted an acquaintance, all helped to
make an impression upon him to which
her personal beauty helped to give
both power and charm.
There had come to be strange sort
Of freemasonry between these two.
expressed in an exchange Of looks
when he came in or out, Of confidence
Oh the one hand, of sympathy on the
other.
Whatever there might be amiss In
the household-and that something
was wrong somewhere MassOu could
not doubt-this one figure Of the hand
some, open faced girl stood aloof from
it, shone out the brighter for her rath-
er dubious surroundings. He was not
without a suspicion. too, that this in
sistence of hers upon his constant pres
ence in the sickroom was measure or
precaution for his personal safety and
that the watching at night, upon which
she continued to insist, was a maneu-
YER by means Of which she could still
play the part Of guardian angel during
the hours which she judged to be the
most perilous to him.
However that might be, for the next
four days. during which the doctor as
covery was steady. while she insisted
that it was slow, Gwyn proved her
self a most obstinate and refractory
convalescent. refusing to sit up or to
rise on the plea Of weakness and de-
manding constant attention by day and
the watching Of her grandmother and
the doctor at night.
AS Mason continued to help with
the work Of snow clearing by day aud
thus got no proper rest he had become
ON the fourth successive night of his
forced and unnecessary watch 30 ut
terry worn out by fatigue that he fell
into a deep. dead sleep as soon as he
had settled himself in his armchair.
He was awakened after short. Wild
nightmare Of a dream that he was
drowning, suffocating, crying for help,
to find himself bound, gagged. blinded
and gasping for air. He was being
lifted by the shoulders and by the
heels when he awoke. Helpless as he
was. he kicked. he struggled. he turn
ed over, only to fall out Of the hands
which had got him in their grip and to
fall with a dull thud upon the floor
At the same time. Just as the hands
were seizing him again. ae managed
to utter gurgling sound and to kick
out at some one or at something, which
fell with another dull noise.
Then he heard a sharp cry. 1t was
Gwyn's voice.
There was a moments awful still
ness, and for that moment he found
that the hands had released him. The
next they closed upon him again, and
the cry was repeated. Again he strus-
gled. He tried to speak. but again he
was helpless. for his hands were bound
to his sides. Again he succeeded only
in giving voice to a gurgling. stifed
sound.
Then hands touched him again, tear
Ing at the gag which was suffocating
him. With a strange thrill Of wild Joy
and relief he felt that the hands were
Gwyn's. He heard long. sobbing
breath. He felt her body trembling as
It leaned over him.
leave him alone! Leave him alone"
cried she.
Again there was silence, a mysteri-
Gus, awful silence. And suddenly Mas
son felt that the girl was being drag
| ged away and that she was hghting.