The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-14

Tom could send that business higher
than kite. She had all she could DO 10
keep her mother from breaking out INTO
her dreadful TRADES OF abuse before
others.
So Miss MaIvina in her little three
roomed cottage and Olivia Matthew's In
her mansion OF many rooms were eacn
winning their way through the shad-
ows with heavy hearts amid foreboding
fears.
AS ordered by DR.. Govan Reuben was
night nurse and Olivia tended the sick
man during the day. Said the gentle
old doctor:
Reuben can stand loss OF sleep bet
ter than you can my dear. and II would
distress your father to see you about him
when you should be getting your proper
rest"
But ollie had her doubts about Reuben's
superior powers OF endurance, and after
stealing into the dimly lighted sickroom
twice in one night 10 find patient and
nurse both in o profound slumber she
aroused Reuben and drew him cautiously
out into the hall
1T is nearly midnight, Reuben, and
/ have been sleeping nicely ever since
o. clock. You go now and rest until
daybreak You say he does not get rest
less before then. Come back at first
peep of day, and he Will never have miss
ed you"
This suggestion fell In so comfortably
with Reuben's own desire that she did
not have to urge IL very strenuously.
With yawning thanks he shuffled out OF
sight
Olivia stole noiselessly into the sick
room to take his place. The sick man
was I'm profound sleep. She lowered the
lamp on the hearth trffle and moved
the screen SO that the shadows cast by
Ii on the ceiling above the bed should
take on fewer fantastic shapes. She
shook the water pitcher softly TO make
sure of the presence of fee in It, She
examined the tumblers OF physic TO be
quite sure of the next dose In case she
had to administer IL before Reuben's re-
turn.
Gratined to find the patient remain
vs~conscious OF all this subdued activ-
ity, she curled herself up in the great
armchair on the side of the bed next
to the wall. where she would be COM
pletely hidden should her father open
his eyes, but need no attention. Then
she administered a small dose OF COM
fort to her own anxious heart.
He is better. He must be better. Or.
Govan said II he could only sleep better
all would be we'll, and now he is sleeping
splendidly."
With FOLDED arms and closed eyes she
fell 10 pcturing things as they would
shape themselves as soon as her father
should leave his sick bed She would tell
him how Clarence was pleading for an
immediate marriage so as TO help her
take care of him in his declining years. Ii
was lovely TO have her lover so fond OF
her father. but then everybody looked up
to and reverenced her father whom all
the world could not look UP to. And thus
| comforting herself after the manner of
/ all things young and innocent she set
| tied herself to keep vigil In five min
| utes she was found asleep. Not for very
| long. She fell dreaming an unpleasant,
| startling dream. She fancied some ter
rlble, wild thing was standing over her
| fathers sick bed with flame In It's eyes
| and venom on it's tongue. She wrlthed
| az one does I'm the conscious effort to
| shake off nightmare and opened her
| eyes, only to cover them with her trem-
bling hands as she smothered the impulse
| to cry out
Standing close by the pillows OF the
sick man was the tall, white robed figure
never 10 be forgotten. that had once be.
fore deprived her OF the power of rea
soning. High over a tumbled mass OF
snowy white hair II held the small bed
room lamp that had been burning low
on the hearth.
| Cro be Continued)