Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-01-23
CHAPTER XXVII.

Isabel found Gwendoline tender and
compassionate to her. She only raised
her eyes to the lady's face with a CRATE
full look. She forgot all about the in
terview at Graybridge; what could she
remember in that room, except that he
was ill9-in danger, people had told her;
but she could not believe that. The ex-
perience of her husbands deathbed had
impressed her with an idea that danger
Gus illness must be accompanied by ter
rible prostration, delirium, raging fever,
dull stupor She saw Roland in one of
his best intervals, reasonable, cheerful,
self possessed, and she could not be-
Heve that he was going to die. She
looked at him and saw that his face
was bloodless, and that his head was
bound by linen bandages, which con-
cealed his forehead. A fall from his
horse! She remembered how she had
seen him once ride upon the dusty road
unconscious of her presence, grand and
self-absorbed; but among all her mus
ings she had never imagined any danger
coming to him in that shape. She had
fancied him always as a dauntless rider,
tanning the widest steed with one light
pressure of his hand upon the curb.
She never guessed the truth. The med
ical men who attended Roland Lans-
dell knew that the injuries from which
he was dying had never been caused by
any fall from a horse; and they said
as much to Charles Raymond, who was
unutterably distressed by the intelli-
gence. But neither he nor the doctors
could obtain any admission from the pa
tient, though Mr.. Raymond most earn
estly implored him to reveal the truth.
Cure me if you can" he said; moth
Ing that l can tell you will give you
help in doing that. If it is my fancy to
keep the cause of my death a secret, it
Is the whim of dying man, and it ought
to be respected No living creature upon
this earth, except one man, will ever
know how | came by these injuries. But
do hope that you gentlemen will be
discreet enough to spare my friends any
useless pain. The gossips are at work
already, l dare say. specializing as 70
what became of the horse that threw
me. For PHYS sake, do your best to
stop their talk.
Isabel had lost all count of time since
the sudden shock of her husbands death
and she did rot even know the day of
the week. She only knew that the
world seemed to have come to an end
and that it was very hard to be left
alone in a deserted universe
For a long time she knelt by her bed
side praying that Roland Lansdell might
live-only that he might live She
would be contented and happy. she
thought, to know that all the world Law
between her and him, if she could only
know that he lived. Childishly, ignor-
antly, as child might supplicate for
the life of its mother. did this girl pray
for the recovery of Roland Lansdell.
No thought of her new freedom, no fore
shadOwing of what might happen if he
could be restored to health, disturbed the
simple fervor of her prayers. She only
wanted him to live.
The sun sloped westward. and still
shone upon that kneeling figure. Per
hapS Isabel had a vague notion that the
length of her prayers might prevail.
They were only rambling, unorthodox
petitions. 1t is not every mourner who
can cry. Thy will be done" Pitiful
and weak and foolish are some of the
lamentations that rise to the Eternal
Throne.
At last when Isabel had been some
hours alone and undisturbed in that sun
lit chamber, an eager yearning TO see
Roland Lansdell once more came upon
her-to see him, or, at least to hear
tidings of him; to hear that a happy
change had come about; that he was
sleeping peacefully, wrapt in a placid
slumber that gave promise of recovery.
All what unspeakable delight it would
be to hear something like this! And
sick men had been spared before to-
day.
Her heart thrilled with a sudden rap
ture of hope. She went to the door and
opened it, and then stood upon the
threshold listening. All was silent as
1t had been before. No sound of foot
steps, no murmur of voice, penetrated
the massive old walls. There was no