Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-01-30
CHAPTER XIII.
\ N a dimly lighted room In the bunga-

TN dimly lighted room In the bunga-
low at Loango two women had
been astir all night. Now, as dawn
4 approached, one Of them. Worn out
with watching, wearied with that
blessed fatigue of anxiety which dulls
he senses, had lain down on the cur
tain covered bed to sleep.
While Marie slept Jocelyn Gordon
walked softly backward and forward
with Nestorius in her arms. Nestorius
was probably dying. He lay in the
Englishwoman's gentle arms, a little
brown bundle of flexible limbs and cot
ton nightshrt. 1t was terribly hot.
AL day the rain had been pending. All
night 1t had held of until the whole
earth seemed to pulsate with the desire
for relief. JOcelyn kept moving SO that
the changing air waited over the little
bare limbs might allay the fever She
was In evening dress, having, indeed,
been called fromEthe drawing room by
Marie, and the child's woolly black
bead was pressed against her breast
as If to seek relief from the inward
pressure on the awakening brain.
A missionary possessing some small
knowledge Of medicine had been with
them until midnight, and, having done
his best, had gone nway leaving the
child to the two women. Maurice had
been in twice, clumsily. on tiptoe, to
look with i'll concealed awe Mt the
child and to whisper hopes to Marie,
which displayed IA ludicrous, If lamen-
20 fr~y - 4 4
ing about.
"Little chaps better" lie said; I'm
sure Of 1t. See, Marie, his eyes are
brighter. DevilBh hot, though, isn't
hep Poor little soul"
Then he stood about, awkwardly
sympathetic.
Anything can do for you, Joce-
Nns. he asked, and then departed.
only too pleased to get away from the
impending calamity.
Marie was not emotional. She
seemed to have left all emotion be-
hind, in some other phase of her life
which was shut off from the present
by thick curtain. She was patient
and calm, but she was not so clever
with the child as was Jocelyn Per-
haps her greater experience acted as n
handicap In her execution Of those
small Offices to the sick which may be
rendered useless at any moment Per
haps she knew that NestorIus was
wanted elsewhere. Or it may only
have been that Jocelyn was able to
sOOthe him sooner, because there Is an
unwritten law that those who love us
best are not always the best nurses
for US.
When at last sleep came to the child
It was In Jocelyn's arms that lie lay
with that utter abandonment OF pose
which makes sleeping infant and
sleeping kitten more graceful than any
living thing. Marie leaned over Nes-
torius until her dusky cheek almost
touched Jocelyn's fair English one.
.'He Is asleep she whispered.
And her great dark eyes probed
J0eelyn's face az II wondering whether
her arms, bearing that burden, told
her that this was the last sleep.
Jocelyn nodded grayety, and con-
tknued the gentle swaying motion af-
fected by women under such circum-
stances.
Nestorius continued to sleep, and at
last Marie, ovefcome by sleep herself,
my down on her bed.
Thus it came about that the dawn
found Jocelyn moving softly in the
room, with Nestorius asleep In her
arms. A pink light came creeping
through the trees, presently turning to
q golden yellow, and, behold, it was
Night! 1t was little cooler, for the
sea breeze had set In. The cool air
from the surface-of the water was
rushing inldndsto supply the place of
the heated atmosphere rising toward
the sun. With the breeze came the
Increased +murmur of the distant surf.
The dull continuous sound seemed to
live amid the submits of the trees far
above the low built house 1t rose and
fell with q long drawn rhythmic swing.
Already the sounds of life were min
CLING with 1.-THE low Of cow, the
Growing Of the cocks, the hum of the
noisier daylight insect life.
Jocelyn moved to the window, and
her heart suddenly leaped to her
threat.
On the brown turf In front of the
house We're two men stretched side by
side as il other hands had laid them
there dead. One man was much bigger
than the other. He was OF exceptional
stature. Jocelyn recognized them al
most tmmediately-Guy Oscard and
Joseph. They had arrived during the
night and. not wishing to disturb the
sleeping household, had lain them
down in the front garden to sleep with
quiet conscience beneath the stars.
The action was SO startlingly chnrac-
teristic 80 suggestive of tile primeval,
simple man whom Discard represented
rs one born out of time, that Jocelyn
laughed suddenly.
While she was still at the window
Marie rose and came to her side. Mes.
torius was still sleeping Following
the direction of her mistress eyes,
Marie saw the two men. Joseph was
sleeping on his face, after the manner
OF Thomas Atkins all the world over.
Guy Discard lay on his side. with his
head on his arm
'That is SO like Guy Oscard,' said
Marie, with her patient smile; 80 like,
SO like. 1t could be no other man-to
do a thing like that"
Jocelyn gave Nestorius back to his
mother, aud the two women stood for
9 moment looking out at the sleepers.
little knowing what the advent of these
two men brought with 1t for one of
them. Then the Englishwoman went
to change her dress, awaking her
brother US she passed his room
1t was not long before Maurice Cor
don had Hospitality awakened the
travellers and brought them In to
change their torn and ragged clothes
Tor something more presentabie 1t
would appear that Nestorius was not
particular. He did not mind dying On
the Kitchen table II need We're His
mother deposited him Oh this table OH
q pillow. while she prepared the break
fast with that patient resignation