Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-25

Remind me tomorrow to send out
man from town." he said. II know
the very fellow"
record this scrap of conversation,
just as have tried to put down any
thing and everything that had bear
ing on what followed, because the
gardener Halsey sent the next day
played an important part in the events
of the next few weeks-events that
eliminated as you know, by stirring
the country profoundly. At that time,
however, was busy trying to keep
my skirts dry, and paid little or no
attention to what seemed then most
trivial remark.
At the lodge everything was quiet.
There was light in the sitting room
downstairs, and a faint CLEAN, as if
from a shaded lamp, in one of the up
per rooms. Halsey stopped and ex-
amined the lodge with calculating
eyes.
II don't know, Aunt Ray" he said
obviously; this is hardly a woman's
affair. If there's scrap of any kind,
you hike for the timber" Which was
Halsey's solicitous care for me, put
into vernacular.
"I'll stay right here" I said, and
crossing the small veranda, now
shaded and fragrant with honey
suckle, hammered the knocker on
the door.
Thomas opened the door himself
Thomas, fully dressed and in his Gus
tomary health. l had the blanket over
my arm.
II brought the blanket, Thomas" I
said; II am sorry you are so ill.,
The old man stood staring at me
and then at the blanket. His con-
fusion under other circumstances
would have been ludicrous.
What! Not ill?" Halsey said from
the step. Thomas, I'm afraid you've
been malingering."
Thomas seemed to have been debat-
ing something with himself. Now he
stepped out on the porch and closed
the door gently behind him.
II reckon you bettah come in Mis-
Innes," he said, speaking cautiously.
Its got so dunno what to do, and
it's boun' to come out some time er
ruther."
He threw the door open then, and
I stepped inside, Halsey close behind.
In the sitting room the old negro
turned with quiet dignity to Halsey.
you bettah sit down, sah,' he
said. TITS place for woman, sal"
Things were not turning out the
way Halsey expected. He sat down
on the center-table, with his hands
thrust in his pockets, and watched
me as followed Thomas up the mar
row stairs. At the top a woman was
standing, and secN"a glance showed
me it was Rosie. she shrank back a
little, but said nothing. And then
Thomas motioned to partly open
door, and went in.
The lodge boosted of three bed
rooms upstairs, all comfortably fur
ntshed. In this one, the largest and
siriest, night lamp was burning, and
by its light I could make out plain
white metal bed. A girl was asleep
muttered something now and the.
Rosie had taken her courage in her
hands. and COM in had turned up
the light. 1t was only then that I
knew. Fever.flushed, i'll as she was,
[ recognized Louise Armstrong.
"Will you tell me what you mean,
Thomas Johnson, by not telling me
10, 7
Thomas quailed.
"Mis' Louise wouldn't let me-" he
said earnestly. II wanted to. She
ought to a had a doctor the night she
came, but she wouldn' hear to it. Is
she very bad, Mis- Innes?'
bad enough" I said coldly. Send
Mr.. lines up"
Halsey came up the stairs slowly,
looking rather interested and inclined
to be amused. For moment he could
not see anything distinctly in the
darkened room; he stopped, glanced
at Rosie and at me, and then his eyes
fell on the restless head on the pill
low. think he felt who it was before
he really saw her; he crossed the
room in couple of strides nd bent
over the bed.
:Louise!" he said softly; but she
did not reply, and her eyes showed no
recognition. Halsey was young, and
illness was new to him. He straight
ened himself slowly, still watching
her, and caught my arm.
"Shes dying, Aunt Ray!" he said
huskily. Dying! Why. she doesn't
know met"
"Fudge!" I snapped, being apt to
grow irritable when my sympathies
are aroused. "sshhcc's doing nothing OF
the sort-and don't pinch my arm. If
you want something to do, go and
choke Thomas"
| But at that moment Louise reused
from her stupor to cough, and at the
end of the paroxysm. as Rosie laid her
back, exhausted. she knew US. That
was all Halsey wanted; to him con-
seriousness was recovery. He dropped
on his knees beside the bed, and tried
to tell her she was all right, and we
would bring her around in a hurry,
and how beautiful she looked-only to
break down utterly and have to
stop. And at that came to my
senses. and put him out
This Instant" ordered, as he hes
ltated. "And send Rosie here"
When the doctor from Englewood-
the Casanova doctor, DR.. Walker, be-
ing away-had started for Sunnyside,
and had got Thomas to stop trying
IN aYuis;, what he d;d nat ,,naans4anll