The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-22
thereon. He seemed to be conscious,
but his muttering was so weak as to
be almost inaudible, save for occasional


words. -
turning to james, said: You had
better 90 in the house and stay with
the women. Aaron will go with me.
shall take ke this Is man to the hotel to ). !
A perfect yolley Of mumbled remon-
strances came from the PROSTATE figure
in the wagon. Gordon seemed 70 under
stand him. emo, I shall not take you |
there he said, 'but to the hotel. You
will be better cared for. know the
proprietor.' ~ -.-r e. r..~<' . ---~E
He got in beside the man, and seated
himself on the floor of the wagon. .:
Aaron mounted to the driver seat.
"Tell Clemeney and. her mother not
tozworry if they are awake Gordon
called to James as the horses started.
James said yes and went into the
house. He entered thru the office door,
all trembling and half.weeping., "Oh,
what has happenedg Has Uncle Tom
taken him away7 she quavered.
S. Hush, dear, you will wake your
mother. Yes, he has taken him away"
NWhat was the matter, tell me.
''He was unconscious. He had fall
"He came to. l. heard him speak.
Were any bones broken7''
Ono, I think not. You must 90 to
bed; it is very late, dear.
Clemency had put fresh wood on the
hearth, and the little place was all
a-wavcr and a-fieker with freight.
Grotcsque shadows danced over the
walls and ceilings, and sprawled uncer-
tainly On the floor. ClemencY looked up
in James face, and her own had a
shocked whiteness and horror. in spite of
the tenderness in his. ''Tell-'' she
began: 49,.
: What, dearg,' -. Z !
i: "Was it-thatl man?'''
James ;hesitatcd. e.
"Tell me- Clemency said imperious-
ayes think it was n.-
: sClemencv glanced as if instinctivelY
at the dog, lying asleep in a white coil
: on the hearth. "What was the matter
with .him?' she asked in a hardly au-
diblc voice.
''He had fallen, dear, and was uncon-
Nothing-'' Clemeney glanced
again at the dog, and did not complete
her question.
"Hc had recovered consciousness, A."
James said hastily. .-
"Then he is not going to die.' 1t
was impossible to say what kind of
relief was in the girl $ voice, but relief
there was. -
~ see no reason why he should. I
don t think your uncle thought he
"Where have they taken him?" =,
"To the hotel. Now, Clemency
dear, you must put all this out of your
mind and go to bed
Clemency obeyed like child. she
kissed James, took a candle and went
upstairs.
James went into his own room, but
he did not undress or go to bed. In
stead, he sat at the window facing the
street and stared into the darkness,
sat there for nearly two hours, then he
heard wheels, and saw the dark mass
Of the team and wagon lumber into
sight. He ran thru the house, and was
in the drive with a lantern when the
team entered. "Have you been wait
don tired voice. ~ ....,. -.
eyes, ! thought WOULD -.
81 stayed until was sure he was
comfortable said Gordon. He clam
bered over the wheel of the wagon like
an old man, When he was in the office
with James, and the lamp was lit, he
sank into a chair, and looked at the
younger man with an expression almost
of despair. .-...-..:, ..-. =
"He is not going to die of its'
asked James hesitatinglv. 4E
"No," cried Gordon, che shall notl'
He looked up with sudden, fierce resolu-
ton and alertness. "Why should he
die9'' he demanded. "He is far from
being old or feeble. His vitals are not
touched. Why on earth should. you
think he would die9"
II see no reason James replied
hastily, "only--''s II
"Only what, for God 81 :sakea'
"I thought you looked discouraged -
- "Well, I am, and tired Of the world,
but this nan is going to live. See
hot 0 yG Ht sse a1 there
have something to drink, then we will
go to bed, and God grant we don't have
a night call.'' -
After Gordon had drank his face
Gghtened somewhat, still heslooked years
older than he had done at dinnertime,
with that awful aging of the soul, which
sometimes comes in an instant When
finally he went upstairs James noticed