Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-21

Il heard you telling her" He picked up the pa
per from the floor Don't you worry. maam" The
door opened. He was gona
Alicia left Margaret to come ont OF her faint She
carried Molly upstairs Alicia bathed her face and
hands. She famed her. There was no recurrence
of the more fearful symptoms but 1t seemed to her
that the child was growing weaker; whittier, was
breathing more family.
Terrible thoughts came to her. Gf Molly died. she
would be her murderer Tor not trusting to the heav
en-sent intuition that had told her the child wal
going to be worse.-tor not calling Dr.. Myrick. n
Molly died she would be her murderer for permit
ting herself to be alone in the house with stupid
servant girl. II Molly died. she would be her muir
derer for trusting criminal to send aid Why had
she not taken the child in her arms. walked out Of
the house, to the nearest neighbor-she could have
held the rain OF with many blankets, Perhaps sha
had better do that now. She listened to the up
roar outstde-instinct told her that madness lay
that way. Oh. II Margaret would only come to- She
heard voice that did not seem her own say Mar
garet. Margaret. Margaret" But no answer came
When the bell rang the voice stopped PUTTING
Molly down. she ran to the door. And 1t opened
not to the druggists clerk but to her messenger.
q brought 1t back mesih, ma am to be sure. hs
said. dourishing the bottle He bounded up the
stairs. AS he ran he talked, and as he talked he
took of his wet coat, and hung 1t over the bannis
ter. Alicia followed a called up y'r docthur me
silt, maam. Gie was not at home, but 1 lift wurrud
with that small pup OF drooggists clerk. twas
mesN wud smash the jawr off him II he didn't get
q docthur here inside of fifteen minuts" He seem
ed to go by instinct straight TO Molly's side "Ah
the poor little coleen" he said, bending over her
1t was his huge. steady arm that lifted the child
while Alicia poured out the medicine He stood BIZ
Ahcias side and watched in silence for the effect
For while 1t seemed to quiet Molly. to make
breathing more easy. But in a few moments new
restlessness animated her. She began to stir ts
moan. to struggle back and forth over the couch
Alicia started to take her. But the reaction OF three
sleepess nights and her long days vigil had come
Molys trail little form shook in her trembling arms
You rist yrsilf. ma'am, I'll take care OF the baby
Sure all she needs Ia to- be walked-rnanny's the
tonne I've walked all noight wild a little wan no,
halt the soize Of doll" He lifted Molly. Careful
ly and tenderly he fitted the childs head into hill
enormous shoulder. He began to walk with her
Now You lie down. ma'an," he said.
Alicia obeyed HIM She sank down among II.
pillows and lay relaxed and still. She renectes
! vaguely that she was glad somebody had takeI
charge OF her affairs, After this her mind seemed
to stop working. She lay and watched-watched
big bulky, stnfster-looking man whom che did mo-
know and whose strangeness she presently forgot
carrying Molly. Up and down. back and forth Il.
went great many times; and STILL not thinking a
anything. she watched him. After a while It seetn
ed to her that she did not watch as much as sn
listened. For when Molly stirred and moaned, sh
heard voice, rich with the softest Of old-countr
brogues and softened to purr by wonderful ten
derness, murmuring Irish pet names. 'Mavourneen
and "acushla" were the only ones she could re
member afterwards And at times the soft purrinI
voice sang-she recognized old Irish airs, croonin,
cradle songs. lifting love lyrics. How gay they were
and yet. underneath. what melancholy!
After while the wind died down The raj,
stopped. She heard Margaret stagger to her fee
and lumber over to the couch in the hall, heard he
call, Sure. num- there's somebody knocldnE on th
kitchen window" She watched the old man dis
appear into the hall, still carrying Molly heard hi
light swift footsteps the stairs, his wl1fsperes
colloquay at raised window-his stern Go to be.
this mfnut," to Margaret in passing: his steps re
turning. Without thinking. and with no sense Of "a
sponsibilty, she watched and listened After *
while Mollys breathing became easy and regular
although it mixed itself all up her mothers ear
with the ticking OF the clock. Alicias eyelids fell
rose-fell-rose-feil-
What old Pat thought during all those long hour
is not par OF this history Certain It Is that Ii,
longer he walked the bigger ne seemed to grow
the more stately his air became. When the dawl
began to peep through the windows he laid IN,
sleeping little girl beside her sleeping mother ant
covered them both. When he stole out OF til,
house he had the grand look that he always wor
when he reminded young Pat that they were do
scended from kings.
Nobody passed that morning q certain open 10
not far from the Prendergast house. But weird erie
chat seemed to come from It smote the ears
early risers. Afterwards they tried to connect II.
N~-~A
night to rob the Prendergast house. People VIII.
drew that inference builded better than they knew
It was old Pat taking that place and occasion t.
beat young Pat Tor being . burglar.