Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-04-30
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! The HOnOro of
! Nurse Joyce
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| car" he said; you could easily have
done forty or even fifty miles, for it is
a very powerful car. You must try it
| again nurse. There really is no rea-
! son why you and Mary should not
have it every morning, if you care for
that sort of thing; | am sure it will do
you both good
You are very kind" said Christa-
| bel. I'll do anything that Miss Sister
| son Wishes" she added, by way of put
ting the matter on a right footing;
she did not desire to be indebted to
| Maxwell Sisterson.
Il had not heard until now, nurse"
said Lady Sisterson, with an air of
displeasure, that you and Miss Sis
terson were out in MaXwell's motor
car this morning. | dare say it was
very refreshing, but would not walk
have furnished better exercise?"
Perhaps it would" said Christabel,
rather CURLY, resenting the snub
Come, mother" said Maxwell.
"They can have the car after it comes
back from the city if they want it
why not?"
Lady Sisterson looked away and did
not reply.
80 you made some calls this morn
ing?" asked Maxwell. Shopping, if
may venture a guess?"
I'VE didn't do any shopping" re-
turned Christabel She was on the
point of saying that they had driven
to Coutts' bank, when she stopped
herself in time-Mary might not like
her to mention it, Miss Sisterson
was good enough to drive me to my
brothers Office" she continued, after
a Slight pause, Gin Shaftesbury aye
nue., as I wished to let him know that
| was here"
Your brothers Office" said Max
well. 81 hope you won't think me in
tolerably rude if | ask what is his line
of business, nurse? l am a business
man myself"
He is an architect, and the name
of his firm is Joyce & Forde.'
Joyce & Forde," repeated Maxwell,
in a strange tone; his slow voice had
quite disappointed. rs Norman Forde
by any chance his name?" he asked,
with what seemed to Christabel some
feeling deeper than curiosity.
Yes, that is his name" she replied,
and the warm color was suddenly in
her cheeks.
"And Philip Joyce is your brother?".
yes"
Christabe was looking at him Won
deringly, and she noticed his gaze
shifted uneasily from her to his moth
er with sort of silent Interrogation.
She saw that something definite and
significant was passing between Lady
Sisterson and her son-something
that in a way concerned her, too, and
she felt vague alarm.
do you happen to know Mr.. Forde
or my brother?" she asked Maxwell.
Not personally" he returned, hasti-
ly, still speaking as if he were put ont,
"but-but I've heard of them" Then.
after a seconds pause. he went on in
the slow and measured accents he
usually affected. 1T was mere mat
ter of business, nurse. We had TO
erect some new buildings, for which
we needed plans to be drawn. and the
names of Joyce & Forde with others
were submitted to us-that is how we
came to know them"
Christabel smiled acceptance of the
explanation, She was not aus
picious woman, and Maxwell's state
ment seemed plausible; yet she did
not forget the unaccOuntable change
that had come over him Oh her mell
tioning the firm of Joyce & Forda.
Dinner over she returned to Sir
Johns room. Opening the door Ct it
softly, she was ast0njsl II to hear his
voice, and to see Mary standing by his
bedside with face convulsed with
grief. Noiselessly she closed the
door, and stepping up to Mary put her
hand on her arm.
Down. down fifty feet" said Sir
John. "Dead-killed; never meant it,
Tom. It's Observation-Disclosures
much for me-impulse-never meant
to murder you, Tom-never, Tom,
never-coming, Tom, coming, Tom,
cOm--"
And the words died away.
ooh. Christabe1, isn't it terrible to
hear him?" exclaimed Mary, tearfully.
WAS it that which you heard him say
last night?"
No, dear, it was not, but it was,
perhaps, something like it," Christabel
answered.
"These are the very words he said
the first time he spoke after the acct
dent, and I have heard them more
| than once. At other times he speaks
of secret, a trade secret"
Yes; he was talking of it last
night How sad it is for you, deari"
said Christabel
Sad" cried Mary with a wild ex-
preston that recalled to Christabel
the painful scene in which Mary had
so completely broken down. Sad!
guess!"
1t was perhaps relief to both that
| Dr.. Flint came into the room at this
iuncture Mary Immediately retired,
after whispering to Christabel that
! she would expect to Sc her for min
ute or two when she had left Sir John
| for the night.
Flint narrowly scanned his patients
| face.
Has there been any changer" he
asked
He was-raving when 1 came in,"
replied Christabel
| 'The same delusion-the fixed
| ;doo ."