The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-08-16
CHAPTER VIII.

Billery did not die that time. but he
lay for a week in the balance. Alexis
suffered a good deal from the neces-
sary invasion of his privacy, and the
discovery of Bil!ery's terrible secret
was ali the harder TO endure because
in the very nature Of things it was
impossible for him to seek any sort of
friendly consolation or advice It was
not thing TO breathe a word about to
any human creature, and whilst
Billery lay under his roof unconscious
his host went almost crazy with ankle
~ and with wonder as 10 what course
of action he would take when he re-
covered. II was quite impossible TO
know whether that drunken declara-
ton of his resolve 10 do his duty and
TO make his knowledge common prop
efty would be put in effect or not He
ercock that he could be blown this
way or that by any gust of feeling;
but for the time being, at least, Billery
was not amenable to reason, or in a
state to be appealed to, however gent
ly.
IL under these conditions Alexis
sometimes found his possession
severely tested, and II at times he al
lowed that fact to be seen, it was. per
haps, hardly TO be wondered at II
was evident to most of those who
were close TO him at this period of his
trials that he put great restraint
upon himself with regard to Billery
He was sometimes on the very verge
Of an angry outbreak with Gervase,
who had hitherto found him the least
exacting OF masters the suavest tenn
pered, and the most easily pleased.
Now that unhappy servitor stole about
his duties with a sense of an over
charge of electricity in the air and a
constant expectation of a thunder
storm. There were two nurses in
waiting on the patient, one attending
by night and one by day, and the alb
ruptness OF Alexiss manner kept them
both in fear. But there was simply
no end to his patience and kindness to
Billery, who, when be began to ap,
proach recovery, was extremely try
ing. He brought him grapes and jelies
and all manner of comforting and
strengthening things, and he was so
uniformly gentle in the sick room thai
everybody preferred to encounter him
there rather than elsewhere
But when Billery was well on his
way to convalescence his hosts insta.
bility took such hold upon him that
sometimes he would march from the
room In which the invalid sat or
lounged at rest and would ease his
mind by the use of vigorous language
| until he felt that he had let of steam
enough, and that 1t was safe for him
| to return.
We'll, Alexis" said the convalescent
one evening when they were alone to-
| gether, Il suppose must be of to.
morrow. l shall never find words in
| which to say how much l thank YOU
| for all your kindness. You've been
better than brother to me, old chap.
! came here and blurted out that
dreadful news OF mine when I wasn't
In at state to tell 1t. I've been a
CHASTITY nuisance ever since, imposing
myself on you as II you were an insti.
tuition for the relief of submerged In
ebriates. and you've been q miracle of
forgiveness. I'm deeply touched, Alex,
and I'm profoundly grateful, and on
top Of II all. old chap. I'm more
ashamed than I can say"
And Billery. being still very weak
] and very shaken In nerve. cried 1t