The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-09-15


buried her face in her hands.
1t was almost dark when Miss Phoe-
be finally dragged herself from the
damp grass and entered the house.
Once inside the stately old drawing
room, she drew the folded paper from
her bosom, and again read it over,
while tears coursed slowly down her
cheeks.
She approached an old brown cabi-
net which stood in corner Of the
room, and, taking therefrom a little
rosewood casket, laid the scrap Of pa
per within it.
Then she turned out the light and
crept to the window, where she sat
looking out across the way. Evidently
she was still uneasy about her neigh
Dor, for there was no light from his
window, nor did one appear while
Miss Phoebe watched, although it was
late when she retired.
The following morning she again
took her place by the window. But
the bus passed and Mr. Lorton had not
appeared.
During the day Miss Phoebe called
Dinah to her room.
"Dinah," she said, II believe some
thing has happened to Mr.. Lorton, or
he is ill over there in that house all
alone"
II spec you said it bout right, Miss
Phoebe, cause I ain seen i'm to-day,
nor yistiddy, neither"
"Oh, Dinah, it would be awful if he
should die there all alone" and Miss
Phoebe turned away her head.
The afternoon wore away. At length
the shadows began to grow long and
the anxiety Of Miss Phoebe's charit-
able heart overcame her patience.
"Dinah," she said, as she passed
through the hall, II am going to Mr..
Lorton's. I feel that it is my duty, for
I am sure he must be ILL.,; and think,
Dinah, if he should die there with no
one''-surely the sweet voice trem.
bled-"with no one to hear his last
words"
Out in the yard she sought among
the late flowers until she found a sin
gle white rose ready to scatter its pet
ais. This sh, plucked; then, passing
through the gateway, crossed the
street.
The Lorton house was an old-fash-
ioned one, with street door at the
end of an open entrance. Through this
doorway Miss Phoebe entered and ad-
vanced along the passage, made dark
and gloomy by the dense, untrimmed
growth of shrubbery in the little side
yard.
Approaching the door of what was
probably Mr.. Lorton's sleeping room,
she tapped gently upon the panel.
After moment a weak voice from
within said, "Come in"
Miss Phoebe hesitated /. moment,
while she felt the blood rush to her
temples; then she firmly turned the
knob and entered.
At the sound of heS step the figure
turned, revealing the dazed, feever-
frightened eyes Of Mr.. Lorton; then
hand wandered toward a table that
stood at the head of the bed, and on
which rested a pitcher of water, a
goblet-and, yes. Miss Phoebe drew a
long breath as she saw that the hand
was reaching for little box in which
lay the -seered petals Of once
red rose.
With a swift impulse Miss Phoebe
placed the white rose over the with
cred petals of the red one. Then lay
ing her cool hand on the hot fingers of
the sick man, she said gently:
You are ill. Why didn't you send
for some one-for-for me"'
The eyes Of the sick man met hers
with a half-dazed expression. Then
he turned to the wall.
II know you," he muttered. "You
seem real, but you're not-you with
your white rose"
Listen" she said. "I'm going to
send for a doctor now-at oncAand
then I will come back and take care
of you"
Again the fevered eyes turned to
hers, and again they sought the wall.
"No use" murmured the hoarse
voice, mo use to live; no future-no
one who cares-only red roses-red
roses"
But his visitor, her soft gray eyes
misted with tears, was already hurry
ing across the road; and. although it
was dark, Dinah was dispatched at
once for a doctor, while Miss Phoebe,
hastily gathering from her stores such
remedies as she thought might relieve
the sick man, fastened back to his
bedside.
For more than a fortnight Mr.. Lor-
ing lay in the grip Of the fever, attend