Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-09-09
CHAPTER VII.
A Niqht-Watoh.

Barbara had passed her word to re
main all night with the sick man,
should he prove delirious; she was
scrupulOusly conscientious, and il
spite of her fathers remonstrance and
assurance that old Betty Westlake
could look after the fellow well enough,
she remained in the sick room
after the rest had gone to bed
That Jasper was tevered was I'M
doubtable;; he was hot and restless,
tossing his head from side to side on
the pillow, and it was not safe to leave
him, lest he should disarrange his
bandage, lest, in an access of fever, ne
should leap from his bed and do him
self an injury.
After everyone had retired the
house became very still. Barbara
poked and made up the fire. 1t must
not become too large, as the nights
were not cold, and it must not be al
lowed to go out.
Jasper did not speak, but he opened
his eyes occasionally, and looked at
his nurse with strange light in his
eyes that alarmed her What If he
were to become frantic? He was only
half conscious, he did not seem to
know who she was. His lips tWitched
and moved, but no voice came. Then
ne cIasped both hands over his brow,
and moaned, and plucked at the ban
dages. You must not do that said
l, oI,o i
and going beside him. He gIared at
her from his burning eyes without in
teIIgence. Then she laid her cool
hand on his brow, and he
let his arms fall, and lay still, and
the twitcS>ng of his mouth ceased.
The pressure of her hand eased,
soothed him. Directly she withdrew
her hand he began to murmur and
move, and cry out, % Martin! Martini
Then he put forth his hand and
opened it wide, and closed it again, il
a wild, restless, unmeaning manner.
Next he waved it eXcitedly, as if in
vehement conversation or ernest pro-
test. Barbara spoke to him, but he
did not hear her. She urged him to
lie quiet and not excite himself, but
her words, if they entered his ears con-
veyed the message to the brain. He
snatched at his bandage.
You shall not do that, she said, and
caught his hand. and held it down.
Then, at once, he was quiet
He continued turning his head on the
pillow, but he did not stir his arm.
When she attempted to withdraw her
hand he would not suffer her Once,
when almost by main force, she
plUcked her hand away, he became ex-
cited and tried to rise in his bed.
In terror, to pacify him, she gave him
her hand again She moved her chair
close to the bed, where she could sit
facing him, and let him hold her left
once. It seemed to her that her cool,
calmly flowing blood poured its heal
ing influence through her hand up his
arm to his tossing, troubled head.
Thus she was obliged to sit all night,
hand in hand with the man she was
constrained ito pity, but whom, for
his guilt, she loathed.
He became cooler, his pulse beat
less fierceIy, his hand was less burn
ing and dry. She saw him pass from
vexing dreams into placid sleep. She
was unable to knit, to do any work all
night She could do nothing other
than sit, hour after hour, with ner
eyes on his face, trying to unravel the
riddle, to reconcile that noble counter
ance with an evil life. And when she
could not solve it, she closed ner eyes
and prayed, and her prayer was con-
cerned, like her thoughts, with the
man who lay in fever and pain, and
who cIasped her hand SO resolutely. To
wards dawn his eyes opened, and
there was no more vacancy and fire
in them Then she went to the lit
tie easement and opened it, The
fresh, sweet air of early morning
rushed in, and with the air came the
song of awakening thrushes. the spiral
twitter of the lark. One fading stan
was still shining in a sky that
was laying aside its sables.
She went back to the bedside and
said gently, You are better.
Thank YOU he answered. I have
given you much trouble
She went back to the bedside and
said gently. You are better.
Thank you he answered. l have
eriyan Won much trouble
She shook her head, she did not
speak Something rose in her throat.
She had extinguished the lamp. In
the grey dawn the face on the bed
looked death-lfke, and a gush of ten
derness, of pity for the patient, filled
Barbara's heart She brought a basin
and a sponge, and leaning over him,
washed his face He thanked her
with his. sweet smile. a smile that told
of pain. 1t affected Barbara strangely.
She drew a long breath. She could
not speak. If she had attempted to do
so she would have sobbed; fore she
was tired with her continued watch
no RI fbn weak