Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-10-10
had said so-and he must

him-Parker had said so-and he must
see-her before he died. He called her
name over and over again.
The wind felt cold on his forehead.
He stumbled amidst the beach grass.
What was this thing across his path?
A rope, apparently, but why should
there be ropes in that house? There
had never been any before. He
climbed over it and it was climb
of hundreds Of feet and the height
made him giddy. That was house,
another house, not the one he had
been living in. And there were lights
all about. Perhaps one Of them was
the light at the parsonage. And big
bell was booming. That was his
church bell and he would be late for
the meeting.
Some one was speaking to him. He
knew the voice. He had known it al
ways and would know it forever. 1t
was the voice he wanted to hear.
"Grace!" he called. Grace! / want
you. Don't go! Don't go! Grace!
oh, my dear! don't co.
Then the voice had gone No, it had
not gone. 1t was still there and he
heard it speaking to him. begging him
to listen, pleading with him to go
somewhere, go back, back to some
thing or other. And there was an
| arm about his waist and some one
was leading him, helping him. He
broke down and cried childishly and
| some one cried with him,
Early the next morning, just as day
was breaking, buggy, the horse
which drew it galloping, rocked and
bumped down the lighthouse lane. DIR.
Parker, his brows together and his
lips set with anxiety, was driving. He
had been reused from sleep in the no.
tel at Hyannis by boy with tele-
gram. Come quick" it read "Mr.
Ellery sick" The sender was Noah
Ellis, the light keeper. At the ropes,
early as it was, he found small group
waiting and gazing at the shanty. The
,lishtkeeper was there and two or
three other men. They were talking
earnestly.
How is he, Noah?" demanded the
doctor. jumping to the ground.
Il don't know, doc" replied Ellis. 81
amt heard sence last night when
telegraphed you"
'"The DEVIL" DR.. Parker swore i'm.
patiently. Who is with him then?
You haven't left him alone, have you?"
MOO" Noah hesitated once more.
moo, he amt alone. She's there"
She? Who? Keziah Cofiin?"
Il don't cal'late Keziah's heard it
yet. We was waitin' for you fore we
said much to anybody. But she's there
-the-the one that found him. You
see. he was out of his head and wan
derin' up the lane most to the main
road and she'd been CALM on Keziah
and when she come away from the
parsonage she heard him hollerin' and
soin' on and"
who did?"
"Why"-the lightkeeper glanced at
his compantons-"why, doc, twas
Grace Van Horne. And she fetched
MIN back to the shanty and then come
md got me to telegraph YOU
But Parker did not wait to hear the
| ASoS. 40 AoA az Iul bpSSU W lu6 UOOI
of the shanty. Grace herself opened
1t.
"How is he? demanded the doctor.
Il think he seems little easier; at
any rate, he's not delirious. He's in
there. Oh, I'm so thankful you've
come"
rs that the doctor?" called Ellery
weakly from the next room. 'Is it?"
| YES" replied Parker, throwing of
his coat and hat. Coming, Mr.. FL
bery.'
For Gods sake, doctor. send her
away. Don't let her stay. Make her
go! I've got the smallpox and If she
stays she will die. Don't you under
stand? she must go"
Hush. john" said Grace soothing
~. Hush, DEAR"
DIR. Parker stopped short and looked
at her. However, he waited no longer.
but hurried in to his new patient.