The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-11
CHAPTER VIII-Continued.

You are III: what can / do for you?
Tell me. on. please tell me-" Katherine
said. her nerves all ajaT.
Camilla caught at her two hands.
IL have had a shock" she said.
when she could speak, and 1 am fright
ened-very frightened. I cannot stay
alone. 1 want TO be near the children. I
must have the children with me
have come 20 take them downstairs"
To her suffering. distorted mental
vision in this moment Katherine looked
like some spirit, tall and straight in her
long, white nightgown, with her dark
hair falling in two heavy plaits from her
~smaI, smooth head
The girl was more than a little fright
ened herself, but she Gained herself with
an effort
1t was, of course, impossible for her
even to guess at what had happened;
nor did she wish TO; she only wanted TO
help. 10 comfort, IL possible, for she real
lied that she had TO minister to one who
was passing through no ordinary ordeal.
Putting her finger on her lip as ges-
ture of silence, she drew Camilla 10 her
feet.
Il will so down with you She whis-
pered, and they passed together out Of
the room: but Camlla's mind dwelt on
the children.
Don't separate me from them" she
said; her voice was so changed. so dull
so hoarse. Don't stand between me and
the children" she said, almost passion
ately
IF you will go downstairs, said Kathe-
rine. quietly and gently. Il will bring
the children down. / don't think they
viii wake Make the bed ready and turn
the lights low. / think We will put them
into the blankets, they will not feel the
cold that way"
At first she had been on the point of
suggesting that Camilla should stay In
the nursery and take her bed. but she
quickly felt that it would be a wise thing
10 occupy the other woman a little. for
even 10 her untutOred eye there were un-
mistakable signs OF an acute and dam
gerous mental tension about Camilla at
this moment.
IT you will go and make everything
ready and come up again, you might
carry Baby down, she whispered
1t made her heart ache sharply 10 see
the pitiful eageTness with which Camilla
did her bidding.
When the mother came back again
she had Invested herself of her silk un-
dersEirt. so that there should be as little
noise as possible.
Give me Betty she whispered; then
she pushed Katherine gently on one side.
al -E-. IL
have done IL before"
She almost staggered under the burden
Of the sleeping child as she took II out
of the bed, but the color came back 70
her face, and her eyes lost that wild look
as she held Betty to her heart
Katherine tucked a cot blanket secure
~ about the little feet, and went down
closely behind.
Now viii bring Baby, she whis-
pered.
Both journeys were accomplished salts |
faetorily; neither child woke, though Baby /
for moment opened her sleepy eyes as
though she would have questioned what |
was passing with her.
When they were both laid I'm Camilla
luxurious bed land by the sound of their
breathing the two listeners had assured
themselves that the rest was unbroken)
the mother went mp TO katherine and
kissed her, and then she put her arms
round the girl and chung TO her.
Don't think me mad. she said. hOarse-
ly; tomorrow ] will tell you all"
you are so cold" said Katherine. IN
evenly; won't you have something? Let
me get you a little brandy"
1T is you who ought to be cold"
Camilla answered; how selfish / am. !
dragging you out of your bed like this"
They spoke in hushed tones
Il am not a bit cold Katherine said I
Indeed, she had found time TO slip on
something about her shoulders, though /
her feet were bare.
She insisted upon putting Mrs Lane |
ing in the chair In front OF the fire, and |
then she went down to the dining room |
and brought back a little brandy.
Camilla thanked her with wan smile. /
and urged the girl a second time to 60 /
back to her bed But Katherine would |
not leave her at once.
She was a little alarmed at Mrs Lane /
ing's look. and she knelt down, chaing /
first the cold, slender hands, and then the |
small. cold feet
1T is a long time since I carried Betty" |
Camilla said, after a little while. Dear /
heart, she has grown so much she is no /
longer a baby. alasl alas"
The stimulant had already commenced /
to put a little sign of warmth and life /
into her; the misery in her expression /
was breaking a little
she was my first baby. you know" |
she said, land her father thought her the /
most wonderful thing in the world. He T.
used to walk up and down with her for /
hours at a time. and the old nurse I had /
was so angry with him! She said 1t was
such bad habit. But I loved to see him
with that little creature in his arms; he
was so gentle with it. And then TO think
that he could forget her, turn away and /
leave heri II does not seem so bad that
he should have forgotten me, she said.
She spoke dreamily.
There was a long pause. Katherine still
chafed the small feet.
You wonder, perhaps, why I asked for
Betty" Camilla said, In low voice. Il
love them both just the same. but Betty
belonged to the beginning. Her father
never saw Baby; poor little Baby! / won
der would he have stayed If he had seen
her?'
You are warm now" said Katherine
as brightly as she could. do let me help
you into bed You will feel so much bet
ter there, and the children will keep YOU
warm Won't they be surprised when
they wake up and ind themselves in your
bed?"
The smile that came into Mrs. Laneings
eyes was very pleasant to the girl kneel-
ing beside her to see.
Her heart began 90 beat a little less ner-
vOusly. The fear and the uneasiness be-
gan TO slip from her. When she would
have got up Camilla held her back a mo-
ment
You have been so good to me-" she
said, in a broken way. and you give me
such a sense Of strength, of comfort How
angry nurse would have been If I had dis
Lurbed her as ] have disturbed YOU. Den