Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-07
CHATTER XII.

Then she sat up, partly supporting her self by one hand and with the other seeming to grope after something. There was look of madness in her eyes.
 Father. He's hurt! Don't you know, Stuart? The horses ran away We were thrown out! Why doesn't some one send for the doctor:''
 Rhena slipped out of the room and telephoned for Dr. Saxon. Stuart fell on his knees by the bed, and the next half hour was one of the most agoniz- ing he ever knew. Louise rayed and wept. She kept going over the old times, repeating word for word exactly many conversations between herself and Stuart at the time he had begun to decide on new life. Everything dat ed from Ross Duncan'S death. There were also mingled with all that was so painful in Stuart's memory a great many expressions and exclamations which made him shudder and put his hands over his ears, words which re- vealed experiences of the life Louise had known since leaving Champion. Stuart did not dare yet to imagine all that these words meant.
 When Dr. Saxon finally reached the house and entered the room, Louise was lying down, moaning. The doctor went right up to her and spoke her name. She opened her eyes and looked him full in the face. She shrieked out hysterically: "Doctor, doctor, save me! I'm going mad! I am madv'
 You poor child!' And that was all he said.
 Then Louise began to cry terribly. She spoke her Aunt Royals name in voice that made even the doctor quiver a little. And after that, as suddenly as if she had been struck dumb, she fell back like one dead and lay so still that Stuart thought at first the end had come already.
 He and Rhena stood pale and strick en. It had all come upon them so sud denly. The doctor did all in his power. There was not much he could do. At the end of half an hour Louise came out of the condition of exhaustion into which she had fallen and cried again. this time calling out the name of Vas blaine with such terror that Stuart could not endure the sound and went into the other room across the hall. Rhena followed him.
 This is awfuln' said Stuart, with a groan. What do you suppose this all means? What has that villain done?"
 Ut means that he has left her and that Rhena had guessed so much. It had come like sudden blow to them. She stepped up to Stuart and confronted him.
 "Please God, we'll save her life" he cried
 And her reason" added Rhena gravely. Pray God we mayv' They went back together into that chamber and. with the doctor, watched through the night. fearing, at the doc tors suggestion, lest she should sud | denly rise and go out into the storm ! which before morning beat on the mansion in great fury, while the big l pines sobbed like requiem over dead | hopes and buried loves.
 | With the gray light of morning a change came. The doctor noticed it first. He had not closed his eyes once. l Now he rose and went into the library, signing to Stuart to follow him. ''She is out of immediate danger" he said as Stuart stood there by him, nervous with the strain. "She has had
 
 full if she can recover. But she has the Duncan constitution. All things are possible. I think she will be quiet through the day. If she isn't, send for ] me at once."
 He wrung Stuart's hand and went down into the town through the storm, and an hour later Stuart saw him dashing up the hill and past the house over the Beury road to attend some 1 desperate case out on the hills. How the doctor lived without sleep was al- ways a wonder to all Champion.
 As for Louise, she lay in condition of stupor through the day and the fol lowing night. When occasionally she reused at Stuart's calling her name, she seemed to know him, but did not express surprise at being back in her old home. Gradually the truth grew upon Stuart and Rhena that nearly the entire period of Louise's life since her marriage was q blank to her. She would lie for hours silent and without | expression in her great eyes, which were still beautiful, although her once lovely face had grown old and hag- l gard. When she spoke, it was with the fretful, complaining voice she had used when Stuart had angered her. To his great surprise and relief, she did not appear to dislike Rhena. She ac- cepted her gentle, loving nursing as q matter of course, neither showing grat- l itude nor expressing resentment. She grew fecbler and more exacting in her demands, so that Ithena had her pow CTS taxed to the utmost in providing for her many wants. She asked con l stantly for the most expensive and difficult articles of food to be prepared demanded costly flowers for the deco l ration of the room and was continual ly begging Stuart to buy her jewels to wear. He went down town and took out of the office safe, where. they had been lying ever since his mothers death, n necklace of pearls and another of diamonds. together with ruby bracelet and several turquoise rings Ross Duncan had bought these for his wife when he had been able to say that he was worth a million dollors