The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-06-05
JOHN WINTHROP'S DEFEAT.
Il Nou,l.
JEAN KATE LUDLUn,
ICopYRIGHT, ROBERT BaHSERs Saxs 1sc.l

grew alarmingly, she went privately
to a physician aud questioned him as
to the cause and possible danger.
He listened in silence to ner story.
She told it very simply. but his quick
perception grasped much that was lett
untold. He was perfectly courteous,
but somewhat reticent He unaer-
stood the case as thoroughly as was
possible, having no acquaintance with
the man professionally and Deins
therefore obliged to judge upon gen.
erm pfTncID;es; and he knew, also,
that which he could not tell this wom-
an. He could not meet her eloquent
eyes and tell her, even softening it
as lie would, that there could be but
two courses for this disease. but one
of two for him. Insanity or-death!
Her husbands brain had been over
taxed; his mind heavily shocked; his
sensitive nature sorely wounded. The
change of air and scene had somewhat
benefited him, but the end must be
one Of these two.
Still, he only told her very learnedly
of her husbands heavily taxed mind
and the necessity Of perfect and i'm
mediate rest and freedom from care,
regular hours and cheerful company
dnd the abandonment Of all business
at once
She was quick to note the changes
Of voice or face, and there was some
thing under this mans quiet words
that increased her fear.
The days passed into weeks-three
weeks-full OF anxiety for Alicia.
With her fears wakened by the physi-
clans words, she watched Harold un-
observed. She forced herself to be
light of heart and brilliant as Of old;
she sang to him when he desired; or
read as he lay upon a couch, or was
silent. She had always been true to
him and loving; but there came now
some deeper sense Of danger that
made her irresistible. Her husband
watched her often in wonder. For
she saw-even love could not blind her
that her husband was failing.
Not rapidly; not with any horrible
disease, but growing weaker and more
irritable and exacting; never at rest
anywhere; his black eyes, always few
erishly bright now, sometimes fast
ened upon her face with half-vacant
stare that made her heart sink, and
sick.
Until one day when three weeks
were gone, Harold Graham knew lit
tie and cared less for what was pass
ing around him as he lay in stupor
born of the fever in his brain. He had
no strength to resist this fever, the
physician said, when summoned to at
tend him. They were back in San
Francisco and had the best physicians
in the city.
For three days and nights Harold
knew no one, lying in a stupor most
of the time. Complete prostration the
physicians said, and they scarcely had
need to say it.
Then-came the end.
! To every one save Alicia this end
had been expected; to- her it came like
blow. They told her that her hus-
band was very i'll at the beginning;
but when they told her that there was
no longer hope of his recovery, that
she must prepare herself for the
worst, not a word did she utter, not
a cry crossed her lips; but with her
eyes lifted to them in a terror that
was the concentration Of weary weeks
of fear and watching, she sank at
their feet in an Inconsistencies as ut
ter almost as that approaching silence
in the room above.
: With the tenderest pity they raised
her and restored her to consciousness,
but it was long before she was able to
90 to her husband. Her eyes were
steady and sweet as they met his in,
stantly upon entering the room. Her
face was pale, but the smile that
lighted it for him was the old radiant
smile that had come to him like the
thought of an angel across the wild
waste Of waters when the demon
struggled in his heart. He thought Of
it, meeting her eyes, for he was thor,
oughly conscious, and his mind
strangely clear. He thought Of 1t, but
it brought no pain; for pain seemed
to have gone utterly from his life, and
only an unaccountable peace to have
come to him.
!; Still too weak for independent
movement, he tried to stretch his hand
to hers, slow, faint glimmer OF smil-i
ing answering hers; and going to him.
not a quiver Of her face or voice, she
knelt beside the bed, and taking one