Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-05-27
CHAPTER XIV.

IL JOb pASooNt AhA5St SOuAo JNN SOhtS
to Mrs. Graham?"
This unwelcome summons forced
itself upon me as l lay luxuriously
reading upon the couch in the living
the day following our dinner
party.
did she send for me?"
mo, miss"
Mrs. Graham's servant, a half-grown
girl with a face of surprising stupid
ty, stood stolidly before me, the ends
of a small shawl held under her chin,
and a frightened expression in her
small eyes.
Then, why did you Gomez"
To my surprise, the girl put her
face in her hands and began to cry
with a smiling persistency very an
moving 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
you might help me, fur I'm scared to
stay alone, SO / am"
I rose reluctantly, for | knew but
little of illness, and was also scared
Iof the prospect; but go I must, in
common decency, and alone at that,
flor Mary Anne and Elizabeth were out,
and Gabrielle was shut up in her room
with a bad cold, the result of too much
wandering about with thin slippers
the night before.
A chill east wind was blowing, and
I 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. / put my hand wei her
heart, and its faint iutter was a great
relief, as I had thought her dead.
TT is only a 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 l held a little to her lips, motion
ing her not to speak, but she pushed
the glass aside and sat upright.
Z TT is a bad dream" she said-"only
a dream! Say it-only a dream!"
"Only a dream" | repeated, sooth.
ingly-"a bad dream"
She swallowed a little of the brandy
and lay back exhausted on the couch,
while / followed the servant into the
kitchen.
Where is Mr.. Graham" I de
manded, sharply.
Il don't know, miss"
When will he be homer"
Il don't know, miss"
Has Mrs. Graham been i'll long?"
Il don't know, miss"
us there anything you do known
I inquired, my patience worn thread
bare.
mo, miss; / don't know nothing"
This statement was so evidently true
that / left her aimlessly poking the
fire and returned to my patient.
She lay quite still, with closed eyes
30 | merely drew a chair neal the
couch and sat down to wait further
developments. i waited a long time
The minutes slipped past, ana the
room grew dim, for twilight was ap
proaching-the long summer twilight
which l usually loved, but whose ar
rival / dreaded today.
At last she stirred, moved r~estlessly
once or twice, then raised her hea(
and looked around the room.
where is her she said. Where
is he?"
"He has not come home yet, Mrs
Graham" / replied. mo doubt he viii
be here soon"
She fell back upon her pillows, ant
instinctiyely | sprang to her side, but
she waved me away and turned he
face to the wall.
1T was not a dream" she moanedi
ut is true, quite true"
I heard the little servant close thu
window and light her lamp, and en-
We'd her the warmth and brightness o
her kitchen, for the room was chill,
and fast growing dark.
Finally Mrs. Graham raised hersel
by d great effort and beckoned to me
ION the table in my room,' she said
speaking with difficulty, you will fins
some medicine. Drop it In water-th'
bottle tells how--and bring 1t to me
But be quickl"
/ ran to the little room above ant
brought the medicine. dropping II Will