Barbour County index., 1910-07-20
CHAPTER Xll.-Continued.

81 reckon you bettah come in Mis-
Innes," he said, speaking cautiously
'It's got so l dunno what to do, and
it's boun' to come out some time er
ruther."
He threw the door open then, and
/ 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. Its a place for woman, sab" -
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 l followed Thomas up the mar
row stairs. At the top a woman was
standing, and a second glance showed
me it was Rosie. She shrank back
little, but l said nothing. And then
Thomas motioned to a partly open
door, and l went in.
The lodge boasted of three bed
rooms upstairs, all comfortably fur
nished. In this one, the largest and
airiest, a night lamp was burning, and
by its light l could make out a plain
white metal bed. A girl was asleep
there-or in a half stupor, for she
muttered something now and then.
Rosie had taken her courage in her
hands, and coming in had turned up
the light. 1t was only then that
knew. Fever-fushed, i'll as she was,
recognized Louise Armstrong.
stood gazing down at her in
stupor of amazement. Louise here,
hiding at the lodge, i'll and alone!
Rosie came up to the bed and
smoothed the white counterpane.
81 am afraid she is worse tonight"
she ventured at last. l put my hand
on the sick girls forehead. 1t was
burning with fever, and l turned to
where Thomas fingered in the hall
way.
'Will you tell me what you mean,
Thomas Johnson. by not telling me
this before?" l demanded Indignantly.
Thomas quailed.
Mis- Louise wouldn't let me-" he
said earnestly. 81 wanted to. She
ought to "a had doctor the night she
came, but she wouldn' hear to it. Is
she very bad, Mis- Innes?"
Bad enough" l said coldly. "Send
Mr. Innes up"
Halsey came up the stairs slowly
looking rather interested and inclined
to be amused. For a 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. l think he felt who it was before
he really saw her; he crossed the
room in a couple of strides and BEN
over the bed.
Louise" he said softly; but sh,
did not reply, and her eyes showed M
recognition. Halsey was young, ant
illness was new to him. He straight
ened himself slowly, still watching
her. and caught my arm.
shes dying, Aunt Ray!" he sai
huskily Dying! Why, she doesn'
know mel"
"Fudge!" l snapped, being apt t
grow irritable when my sympathie
are aroused. she's doing nothing G
the sort-and don't pinch my arm. ]
you want something to do, go an
choke Thomas"
But at that moment Louise rouse
from her stupor to cough, and at tn
end of the paroxysm, as Rosie laid he
back, exhausted. she knew us. Ths
was all Halsey wanted; to him col
sciousness was recovery. He droppe
on his knees beside the bed, and trie
to tell her she was all right, and W
would bring her around in a hurr
and how beautiful she looked-only I
break down utterly and have [
stop. And at that came to m
senses, and put him out.
This Instant" I ordered, as he he
Itated. "And send Rosie here"
He did not go far. He sat on Il
top step of the stairs, only leaving
telephone for doctor, and getting
everybody's way in his eagerness
fetch and carry. got h'm away fins