Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-03-04
CHAPTER XIV.

IL you pledSe, HISS, COulu you CoiHe
to Mrs. Graham"
This unwelcome summons forced
itself upon me as lay luxuriously
reading upon the couch in the living
room the day following our dinner
party.
did she send for me?"
mo, miss" ..
Mrs Graham's servant, a half-grown
girl with face of surprising stupid
ty, stood stolidly before me, the ends
of small shawl held under her chin,
and a frightened expression in her
small eyes.
Then, why did you come"
To my surprise, the girl put her
face in her hands and began to cry
with a shifting persistency very an
noying to hear
I'm scared of her." she sobbed;
she's that queer, miss, She's went all
blue and stiff-like, and Mr.. Graham
amt there, nor nobody but me. And,
seeing as how you come to the house
sometimes, miss, thought as maybe
stay alone, so l am" .....
l rose reluctantly, for / knew but
little of illness, and was also scared"
of the prospect; but go l must, in
common decency, and alone at that,
for Mary Anne and Elizabeth were out,
and Gabrielle was shut up in her room
with bad cold, the result of too much
wandering about with thin slippers
the night before.
A chill east wind was blowing, and
1 shivered as we fastened down the
path and up the narrow steps.
Mrs. Graham lay rigid upon the
couch, her eyes shut and her lips blue
and pinched. l put my hand over her
heart, and it's faint fiutter was great
relief, as had thought her dead.
1T is only faint" exclaimed, and
directed the bewildered girl to as
sist me in my efforts to revive her. At
last we were rewarded by a long
drawn sigh. and the lids slowly lifted
from the dark eyes.
The servant had found some brandy,
and held little to her lips, motion
ing her not to speak, but she pushed
the glass aside and sat upright.
1T is bad dream" she said-"only
a dream! Say it-only dream!"
only a dream" repeated, sooth-
ingly-"a bad dream"
She swallowed little of the brandy
and lay back exhausted on the couch,
while l followed the servant into the
kitchen.
Where is Mr.. Graham?" de-
manded, sharply.
81 don't know, miss"
when will he be homer"
81 don't know, miss"
Has Mrs. Graham been ill long?"
Il don't know, miss"
rs there anything you do know"
inquired, my patience worn thread
bare.
mo, miss; / don't know nothing"
This statement was so evidently true
that l left her aimlessly poking the
fire and returned to my patient.
She lay quite still, with closed eyes,
so / merely drew chair near the
couch and sat down to wait further
developments. / waited a long time.
The minutes slipped past, and the
room grew dim, for twilight was APP
proaching-the long summer twilight
which / usually loved, but whose ar.
rival dreaded to-day.
At last she stirred, moved restlessly
once or twice, then raised her head
and looked around the room.
Where is he?' she, said. Where
is he?"
HE has not come home yet. Mrs.
Graham" / replied. mo doubt he will
be here soon."
She fell back upon her pillows, and
instinctively / sprang to her side, but
she waved me away and turned her
face to the wall.
1T was not a dream" she moaned;
ut is true, quite true"
l heard the little servant close the
window and light her lamp, and en-
We'd her the warmth and brightness of
her kitchen, for the room was chilly
and fast growing dark.
Finally Mrs. Graham raised herself
by a great effort and beckoned to me.
"Cn the table in my ROOM" she said,
speaking with difficulty, you will find
some medicine. Drop it in water-the
bottle tells how-and bring it to me.
But be quick!"
/ ran to the little room above and
brought the medicine, dropping II with