Idaho Springs siftings., 1903-10-17
CHAPTER xvll.--con,lnued.

When the meal was over DR.. Dun
widdic arose. and. as was his habit.
returned to the house up the road to
see 10 his patients condition. and
found that johnson had slept through
the night scarcely stirring, stiil as .
baby. Things were going well to help
on his recovery. and though II 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. Dunwiddle entered the
room. Vacant. hollow eyes they were,
with a stare In them which startled
Dolores.
Or. Dunwlddie was at his side in
stantly. but without sign OF haste.
lie is used to your voice" he said
20 Dolores. without turning his head
Speak to him. Miss Johnson. Say
anything to him-any thing .ou are in
the habit of saying"
Dolores came no nearer the bed
she stood quietly at the window. and
asked in her ordinary voice slow, un'
interested; Are you ready for break
fast, father
The hollow eyes closed weakly for
moment Mrs Allen entered Mt that
moment with the beef tea. and Do
lorcs. taking the bowl from her hand,
crossed over Ca the bedside. John
son again opened his eyes with the
old expression Of distrust and dislike
in them She bent over him, and Dr.
Dunwiddie raiscN his head a trlfie
gently on his arm As she put the spoon
TO his lips with steady hand and un-
moved face But when she offered
him the second spoonful he closed his
eyes and eudeavorod 10 turn aside his
head with the suiicn expression on
his face. Dolores bent over the bed
and held the spoon steadily to his
lips. as she said. ln tone that thrilled
her listeners BY its slow. almost stern
sweetness;
Drink this, father
lie ubeycd Ike a child. and she fed
him carefully according to the doc
tors orders. Dr bunwiddie watched
her movements wonderingly. Where
did this giri get her wemanly tact?
Surely not from this man upon the
pillows. whose face was Indicative Of
nothing but brute nature.
It 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 ioorstone 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
Ery look In them 1t had meddlcd so
with her hfe-or Was II 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
Vuiture 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 20
to prove the malice prepeuse in the
laming Of the mare--n waiting that
appalled, her hy its dogEed patience
What her neishbars thought she did
not care; she had lived without them:
she could sfiil 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. Iodie, among them all,
was the oniy Kind one. Not one of the
woman had been near her. but the
women never did cone: she cared
nothing about that. only there was
something in her life that had not
been there before and that called for
oompanlonshIn lnr the sympathy OF