Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-01-26
ByHARRIs DICKSON
CHAPTER xVIi-continued.
Author of
The Black VOLTS Breed" Etc.
pt9f~ss-~sS3 N~ss-~st1N~ss-~0
Copyright. 1905. by ID. Appleton & Cob

Miss Cameron? Is that your" the
voice she heard was trembling with
excitement ''This is Joe BaIfour.
Mrs. Ashton is here, at the House of
the Samaritan, suffering from a slight
attack of smallpox or varioloid. She's
doing splendidly, in no danger what
ever
Anita's knees gave way; she
dropped the receiver. When she
caught it up again Joe had gone.
"Oh. Mrs. Chaudron. Alice." she
shouted. and started to run. At the
foot of the stairs everything suddenly
became dark-and peace came.
What is it. dear?" When Anita
opened her eyes Mrs. Chaudron was
bending over her. and Celeste.
Il think 1 stumbled"
Poor child. you must get some
sleep"
mo. no." she sprang up; 'she's
found! she's found. she's well! Mr..
Balfour found her at the House of
the Samaritan" Then Anita rushed
up the stairs to Alice with the glad
news.
1t was scarcely half an hour later
when Mrs. Chaudron, Alice and Anita
alighted from their carriage in front
in one corner of the hospital grounds
The pest-house itself, with it's great
gray gables shrinking back among the
trees. no visitor was permitted to
enter.
Joe's cab was still waiting at the
gate. Baker chung nervously to the
iron fence, glancing once in awhile at
the door.
Another cab dashed up to the curb;
Chaudron and Vance sprang out be-
fore it stopped. The man who had
been clinging to the fence caught
sight of them and lodged around the
corner.
Hurry. Mr.. Chaudron," Alice
begged. please open this gate"
Anita pu. her arm about the impa-
tient girl.
The instant the gate was opened
Alice broke away from Anita, ran up
the walk, climbed the stone steps, and
Miss Thibodaux. the head nurse, con-
fronted hey in the door
My mother, my" Alice gasped.
eyes. my dear, come in Miss
Thibodaux nodded pleasantly to Mrs
Chaudron, and drew Alice into the
hall Or. Anderson is with your
mother: he will be here presently
Good morning. Mrs. Chaudron, Mr.
Chaudron."
How is Mrs. Ashton?" Felix Chau-
dron asked.
The calm-faced woman smiled. a
confident competent smile that gave
Alice a world of comfort.
Mrs. Ashton is doing very nicely
indeed. thank you, Mr. Chaudron
Come right in here. Don't be I'm
easy. miss. your mother is getting well
just as quick as ever she can"
Where is mother? I want to see
her." Anita insisted.
THE doctor will be here presently
Miss Thibodaux parted the question.
Woodford Vance passed on and en-
tered the small reception-room into
which Miss Thibodaux had pointed
them. New, that the strain was over,
and the excitement. he felt a consum-
ing curiosity to know how this sin
gular fiascc had come about.
He stepped into the room alone.
There was man standing at the win
dow: a man very much preoccupied
gazing across the hospital yard
Something familiar about the attitude
caught Vaace's eye. He looked again,
took quick step forward, and
stopped. 1t was the same man whose
brief and active acquaintance he had
made in Pedro's Place.
Vance hesitated in the doorway as
il fighting down desire to go over
and catch hold of the mans arm again
just to see what would happen.
While he was still standing in the
doorway Anita passed in behind him
and he heard her smothered exclama-
ton. "Noeli''
The man turned slowly from the
window, as if annoyed at the intru-
sion FTe saw Anita; his face lighted
and he came across the room.
Mrs. Chaudron and her son had
stopped in the hall with Alice, and
were talking to the nurse
Duke walked straight to Anita
without perceiving the stranger
other people We're nothing to him
She raw that his eyes looked neither
to tho right nor left: he did not see
Vance. and Anita feared that he
might say sometime indiscreet
mir. Duke, this is Mr.. Vance
she said. quietly.
Duke glanced with purely formal In
terest at the stra ger, stopped abrupt
ly. gnd-Vance laughed.
"Uh!" Anita looked from one to the
other in great surprise; you knew
each other? 1 thought
''We. did not know each other; we
met-acci dentally-once." Vance cor
recse1 with such good-natured
xri.aacc that Dukes lips twisted them