The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-02-11
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
1T
O7RORTQNE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

2o& Oily CARSON stood al
n ~ y the top of the kitchel
@ MI @ stairs shielding with glow
A'A ing fingers the candle that
NcE she held above her head
} She heard mice scurrying about among
the pans that Aunt Sally had left or
the table when she went to her cabi1
for the night, and she shrank from ven
turing into the darkness below. But
as she hesitated, peering anxiouslJ
down the fight a groan from another
room ended her reluctance. Lifting
her skirts she ran quickly over the
stairs, for Edward, her husband, had
been seized at midnight with violent
8 headache, the result of riding too long
IN the sun in the afternoon, and was
begging deliriously for ice. So ice
Molly must have, even if it meant
braving the terrors below.
The refrigerator was in lean-to
opening from the kitchen. Mrs. Car
son found the door shut and fastened
securely against all her pushings and
shakings, and the end Of the key
glinted maliciously at her through the
keyhole, as if taunting her inability.
Running up stairs, she left the can
dle on the table in the dining room, and
went out of doors to try to open the
outside shed door. The moon shone
dimly through fleecy April clouds, and
"a whipporwill called insistently from q
nearby field. in the note that sounds
more melancholy in the North Carolina
n,ouEtains than anywhere else in the
swerld. .... ......,. .:....-'.-'.
s The outer door proved as obstinate
as the inner. Molly ratified in vain,
and then fell to pulling at the wire net
ting over little window beside it. The
tears rolled down her cheeks as she
tugged with no success. y ragged bit
sof gauze tore her fingers. but she did
not mind the pain. The sound of Ed.
wards voice inside the house, rising
,sand falling in the babble of delirium,
Sspurred her to continued effort, anu
deafened her to the cry of the whip
poorwill. She did not even hear the
sound of approaching footsteps, until
q man came around the corner of the
house so quickly that he almost ran
into her.
q "Heayeps!'' she cried at the same
moment, shaking from head to foot,
and hardly able to articulate. "What
do you want?"
4 Her 'heart thumped furiously, but
through her fear there ran the thought
that whatever happened Edward must
have the Ice.
The man regaincd his self-possession
aas he saw her fright.
& sit looks like we-all's N to the same
business" he chuckled, pointing to the
window, and giving her a poke in the
arm with a dirty thumb.
ST don't understand YOU; am Mrs
Carson" said Molly, throwing back her
fair head, haughtily. Then. recalled by
his gesture to her occupation she for
got her terror in the thought that here
was a mana strong man-who could
help her. She began to work fever
ishly at the netting.
'sMr. Carson's very i'll. Hes out OF
his head, and want to get some ice
!. for him. The door from the kitchen Is
locked" she explained. ''There!' tri
sumphantly, as one corner gave way II
response to a vigorous tug. "Now yot
null on that" she commanded. and the
;would-be burglar. nothing loath, gave
jerk that brought off the whole cover
ing.
"Spiendid~ exclaimed Molly, ant
prepared to climb in at once.
(, "No, you don't, Ma'am," said the man
aLet me go in first and assist you-all,'
gallantly.
He pushed his bulky frame through
the small easement, and then helpee
Molly. with a caution not to 'laxerate'
herself. Without a thought for th'
stranseness of her position, locked int
the shed with this rough fellow, Moll!
went at once to the refrigerator.
"Unlock that door at the left
please" she said. You'll frd q can
die and matches on the shelf over tn
Kitchen table. "Now." with upliftet
voice as she heard the sputter of tn
match, bring me pan to put the &c
In, Thank you. What relief it is t
have this!" and filing the tin sh
crossed the kitchen and began to 8
up stairs, so absorbed in her purpos
that she no longer noticed her compar
ion.
Here you, Ma'am, don't you-all s
back On your pal that-a-way," said N
with a return of the audacity of whic
her air of command and her uncor
seriousness of the situation had robbie
him.
Molly paused midway on the fight
"Oh, I'd forgotten. You came to-
get things, suppose? I'm sorry,