Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-10-15
CHAPTER XvII.-contInued.


When the meal was over Or. Dun
widdie arose, and, as was his habit,
returned to the house up the road to
see to his patients condition, and
found that johnson had slept through
the night scarcely stirring, still as a
baby. Things we're going well to help
on HIS recovery; and though 1t would
be months before he could be able to
get around, yet there was every hope
and every reason to expect him to
recover
Johnson moved and opened his eyes
slowly as DR.. Dunwiddie entered the
soOm. Vacant, hollow eyes they were,
with a stare in them which startled
Dolores.
DR.. Dunwiddie was at his side In
stantly, but without sign of haste.
HE is used to your voice." he said
to Dolores, without turning his head.
Speak to him, Miss Johnson. Say
anything to him-anything you are in
the habit of saying"
Dolores came no nearer the beStt
she stood quietly at the window, ant
asked in her ordinary voice, slow, I'M
interested: Are you ready for break
fast, father?"
The hollow eyes closed weakly for
a moment. Mrs. Allen entered at that
moment with the beef tea, and Do
lores, taking the bowl from her hand,
crossed over to the bedside John
son again opened his eyes with the
old expression of distrust and dislike
in them. She bent over him, and DIR.
Dunwiddie raised his head a trihe
gently on his arm as she put the spoon
to his lips with steady hand and I'M
moved face. But when she offered
him the second spoonful he closed his
eyes and endeavored to turn aside his
head, with the sullen expression on
his face. Dolores bent over the bed
and held the spoon steadily to his
lips, as she said, in tone that thrilled
her listeners by it's slow, almost stern
sweetness:
Drink this, father"
He obeyed like child, and she fed
him carefully according to the Coo
tors orders. DIR. Dunwlddie watched
her movements wonderingly. Where
did this girl get her womanly tact?
Surely not from this man upon the
pillows, whose face was Indicative Of
nothing but a brute nature
1t was an exquisite morning. Mrs.
Allen was with the doctor, there was
no need of her there, and she went
out and sat on the door-stone In the
shadow of the pines. Leaning her
head against the door-post her hands
fell to her lap. Her eyes were intent
on the mountain with a sort of hun
CRY look in them. It had meddled so
with her life--or was it the fate Of the
stars that crippled her father and pre-
vented his going to court where the
men were eager to have him, like the
vulture on the mountain. She knew
little of fate or law, but it seemed to
her that the one possessed her, and
the other was waiting, waiting in a
terrible silence Tor her father to go
to prove the malice prepense in the
tanning of the mare-a waiting that
appalled, her by its logged patience.
What her neighbors thought she did
not care; she had lived without them;
she could still live without them. Had
she known how roughly they used her
name she would scarcely have under
stood their meaning Her mind was
too pure and too high above them to
comprehend the evil they would lay
at her door. Lode, among them all,
was the only kind one. Not one of the
woman had been near her, but the
women never did come; she cared
nothing about that, only there was
something in her life that had not
been there before and that called for
companionship for the sympathy OF