The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-14

|
The wild dark eyes looked up at
him vacantly. The quick breaths
from her hot and muttering lips beat
into his face in convulsiVe gaSps.
Dropping on one knee by the bed,
Jim took her into his great brawny
arms
"Air you mighty sick, little woman
Speak to me, CANT you? It's Jim
that's talking to you. Don't you
know Jim?"
"Jim?" she echoed vaguely
Then with a burst of distracted
laughter, she pushed him from her,
crying out that it was too late-too
late; that he had ruined her life and
trampled on her heart until it had
turned to stone.
Didn't you know" she painted
chat love could die. Oh, I'd give the
world if that wicked old woman
hadn't come here, filling me with such
bitter thoughts. She told me that l
was working myself to death for you
and that you didn't care-and it's
true-oh my Cod it's true. Then she
said that she heard you beat me. Tell
her she lies. She won't believe me.
It's bad enough, Heaven knows, with
out that. Oh, Jim, if you should ever
lift your hand to hit me, l believe I'd
fall down dead at your feet"
Jim glared into vacancy, dumb.
Possibly he was wondering If Sara
really knew what she was saying.
! Evidently not. Hear this frighten-
ed little child pleading with its moth
er amid darkness and storm:
"Mummie! mummie! take my hand
cain't cross it alone The wind
blows so, and the waters high and
strong. Hold me tight please. I
CANT see and I'm so 'feard. Oh how
! cold the water Isl It's running over
my feet I'm lipping-falling. oh,
mummie, where are you? Put your
arms around me and hold me up. I'm
cold-so co-o-old."
"Cold?" repeated Jim. 'Wy, Sara,
you're burning up alive"
But she clung to him shuddering,
and feebly repeated that she was cold
So colo.
He got a blanket and folded it
about her, tucking her snugly in.
Then of a sudden he uttered a sup
pressed cry and drew back from her,
his face gone white to the lips.
"God i'm heaven!' he breathed.
For a full minute he stood staring
stonily The present was dead.
| Every outward sense was in allegiance.
His mind had sprung forward and
was weaving visions of the future.
/ His breath came heavily, and his face
was a mirror upon which played with
! lightning rapidly the conflicting emo
tions of his soul.
At last, slowly, sadly, he muttered
to himself:
"Why did she keep it from me?
She might at least have told me
tI,ct"
There was a slight sound at the
door. He turned inquiringly. Then
10! who should come humping iE but
dingy old Amt Dilsey.
Jim looked at her queerly.
| ''Well, darn min, oil Teddy! Did
you order your coffin befo you
started ?''
Aint Dilsey permitted a solitary
tooth to glimmer upon him conciliat-
ingly.
Laws, Mist Shepp'd, l din mean
nothin' by muh fool talk. rs come
nuss yo po' sick wife, suh.'
Jim's grimly set mouth relaxed.
You mean you've changed your
mind, l reckon. Anyway, I'm glad
you're here, and I'm going to pay you
for your trouble-rest easy on that
score"
The old negress shuff1ed over to the
! bed. She stopped to look into Sara's
eyes She laid one withered hand
upon her head.
"Laws" grunted she. "Dih oman
! des bu'nin' up uhlive. Been after din
doctor, Mist Shepp'd?"
| NAV; but I'm going now. l had
| to"
| He did not wait to complete the
! sentence, but was out and gone with
rush; and a few minutes afterward
clatter of hoofs on the bridge below
| indicated that he was speeding away
| for the doctor
tod al old
physician, was as rapid as his going.
BY the time that Aint Dilsey had un-
dressed his wife and gotten her to bed
"lak folks" as she expressed it, and
kinder Strengthened up din room uh
| little grain" fleet hoofs came thud-
ding up to the door, and the two men
dismounted and entered.
jim, with but one glance toward
the bed, stepped over. to the fire.. and
stood there looking vacantly down
into the dancing flames. The doctor,
nodding genially to the old negress,
approached his patient, and bent down
to look into her half-shut eyes.
She had ceased to moan and rave,
and was lying very still. The sound
of her heavy and rapid breathing,
however, filled the room; and the
parted lips the white teeth glistening
between, gave to the sweet, sad face
a look of deathly weakness plteous TO
behold.
The doctors examination was long.
Little escaped the scrutiny of those
keen, kind old eyes. When he rose
at last and Joined Jim at the fire his
face was very grave.
"WelI?"
The question was in Sheppard's
bloodshOt eyes. His lips had not
moved.
The doctor opened his medicine
case.
81 am not sure yet but 1 think she
has brain fever. She is very weak,
and the case is serious?"
"Can you make her well?"
"Her life is in the hands of the
Almighty. 1 will do my best. That
will be little, though, unless / am aid
ed by careful nursing"
"She'n git that, doctor. But what
you s'pose made her give way like
that I'll at once?"
A shade of sternness darkened the
kind old eyes.
Worry, overwork, neglect starv-
ed SOUL if you must have it, Jim
THANK you" said Sheppard with
an inscrutable smile.
The doctors only reply was +o hand