The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-02-25

Harmony smiled family in answer.
II bought this blue tea gown,
thinkin' of YOU"
He smiled hideously as he ran
his damp, bony fingers down the
satin edge.
Last time l seen you," he con-
tinued, you was lin blue-navy
blue-in the court. You seen me
there. This-this spell came on
last night. After-after you told
how you loved Dave Maddox I said
I'd do this for you tiff this went
against me. If l could, I'd stay and
fight 1t out with him or any man
for you. I'm smart. I'd get ahead
If I'd strength. Ask Ragtime there,
| or-or Maddox, if-if l amt smart.
l know about people-you'd be sur
prised."
His voice, with its pitiful note
of pride and egotism, sank to a
whisper which gradually faded
away-his head wobbled slowly,
and then his whole body suddenly
collapsed. The old woman hurried
forward again and attempted to
rouse him, but this time without
| success. At last she glanced up
with an expression of awe and fed
toward the door.
"The priest!" she muttered.
He's going!"
Harmony leaped to her feet as
she heard the words, but before
she could reply the door had
slammed and the old woman was
dumping heavily down the stairs.
For a few moments the girl stood
/, dumbly staring at the door, froze
with horror and too terrified u
turn her head. Hours seemed to
pass, and then the bed creaked be-
hind her, and, summoning all her
courage, she forced herself to turn.
The blankets were moving slightly
as though to some feeble effort.
Rat was dying and this was his
death struggle she was impotently
| watching! A human being was
| suffering and she was too ignorant
and cowardly to help him. No, not
too ignorant. If this were a well
appointed, clearly sick room she
would find something to do. She
was cowardly-afraid! Afraid of a
helpless man. whose dying breath
had protested his love for her. She
was allowing this poor wretch to
pant and gasp his life away with
out even stretching out her hand
to ease him, because she hadn't the
pluck. He was going to die without
speaking the word on which the
happiness of a life-more than one
life might depend!
She darted to the bedside and
drew back the covers. Ricketts, was
breathing heavily, and his eyes
turned to hers with the same dog
look she had seen in them the day
she had first encountered him sur
rounded by the gaping crowd in
Gramercy square. He strove to
speak and at last she interpreted
his meaning, seized a cup from a
hook on the wall. filled it with
water, gently raised the sufferers
head and placed it to his lips. He
drank deeply-thanking her with
his burning eyes as she resettled
the pillow. Then suddenly she re-
membered the few simple things
which should be tried in such
emergencies, and utilizing the
means at hand, worked desperate
ly to revive him. For few min,
utes she labored without result.
but before long she was encour-
aged to see the patient responding
to every effort. His lips moved
constantly, but she dared not try
to interpret his meaning. At last
he made supreme effort
The PRIEST" he groaned.
He's coming" she answered, en-
couragingly, redoubling her efforts
as she noticed the increasing
hideousness Of his graygreen face
and caught the sound of footsteps
on the creaking stairs. A moment
more and the door opened, admit
ting the old woman and priest,
who bowed gravely to Harmony,
bent over the dropping figure in
the bed and glanced at the
patients face.
(To be continued)
Yakutsk, the commercial en-