The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-05-21

speak, but leaned rather heavily on
the arm OF her companion. The door
had no sooner closed behind them
when the girl collapsed. She sank to
the floor in heap.
Get up!" commanded her hostess
sharply. This was not the time for
soft, persuasive words. Get up at
once. You are young and strong. You
must show the stun you are made OF
now II you ever mean to show 1t. l
cannot help you II you quail"
The girl looked up piteously. and
then struggled to her feet She stood
before her protectress. weaving like
a frail reed in the wind, pallid to the
lips.
Il beg your pardon" she murmured.
81 will not give way like that again.
dare say / am faint have had no
food. nc rest-but never mind that
now. Tell me what | am to do. Will
try to obey"
First of al, get out of those muddy,
frozen things YOU have on"
Mrs. Wrandall herself moved suffy
and with unsteady limbs as she began
to remove her own outer garments.
The girl mechanically followed her ex-
ample. She was a pitiable object In
the strong light of the electrolier.
Muddy from head to foot, water
stained and bedraggled, her face
streaked with dirt, she was the most
unattractiye creature one could well
imagine.
These women, SO strangely thrown
together by Fate, maintained an un-
broken silence during the long. fumb-
ling process Of partial disrobing. They
scarcely looked at one another, and
yet they were acutely conscious Of the
interest each felt in the other. The
grateful warmth of the room. the abb
rupt transition from gloom and cheer
lessness to comfortable obscurity, had
more pronounced effect on the
stranger than on her hostess.
1T is good to feel warm once more,
she said, an odd timidness In her man
ner. you are very good to me-"
They were sitting in Mrs. Wran'
dall's bedchamber, just off the little
sittlngroom. Three or four trunks
stood against the walls.
'T dismissed my maid on landing
She robbed me-" said Mrs. Wrandall
voicing the relief that was uppermos'
in her mind. She opened a closet
door and took out thick eider-dowr
robe. which she tossed across chair
Now call up the Office and say thai
you are speaking for me. Say to then
that / must have something to eat
no matter what the hour may be.
, will get out some clean underwear fol
you, and Oh, yes; II they ask abou
, me, say that am cold and Ill. Tha
is sufficient Here is the bath. PLEASE
be as quick about 1t as possible"
, Moving as If in dream, the cir
did as she was told. Twenty minutes
later there was a knock at the door
A waiter appeared with tray ant
, service table. He found Mrs. Wran
dali lying back in a chair, ATTENDED
} by a slender young woman In pinl
eider-down dressing-gown, who CAV
/ hesitating directions to him. Then h
was dismissed with handsome uI
produced by the same young woman
. "You are not to return for thes
things" she said as he went out.
D In silence she ate and drank, he
O hostess looking on with gloomy intel
0 est. It was no shock to Mrs. Wrar
y dali to find that the girl, who was n
o more than twenty-five or three. pos
J. sessed unusual beauty. Her great eye
we're blue-the lovely Irish blue-he
4 skin was fair and smooth, her fea
lures regular and of the delicate mol
4 that defines the wellbred gentlewon
o an at a glance. Her hair, now in oil
der. was dark and thick and lay softl
n about her small ears and neck. Sh
Il was not surprised, | repeat, for sh
had never known Challis Wrandall t
! show interest in any but the mos
| attractive Of her sex. She found he
self smiling bitterly as she looked.
! But who may know the thoughts
H the other occupant of that little 81
| ting-room? Who can put herself
\ the place OF that despairing, hunte
\ creature who knew that blood was o
u the hands with which she ate, an
whose eyes we're filled with visions
the death-chair?
4 So great was her fatigue that Ion
before she finished the meal her tire
u lids began to droop, her head to nc
q in spasmodlc surrenders to an owe
4 powering desire for sleep. Sudden
she dropped the fork from her fingel
\ and sank back In the comfortab
4 chair, her head resting against Il
4 soft, upholstered back. Her lids fe
l her hands dropped to the arms OF II
chair. A fine line appeared betwee
! her dark eyebrows-indicatiye OF pal
Il For many minutes Sara Wranda
! watched the haggardness deepen
the face OF the unconscious sleepe
Then, even as she wondered at II
lr act, she went over and took up one
IS the slim hands in Aer own. The har
" of an arlstocrat! 1t lay limp In her
and helpless. Long, tapering hnge
$. and delicately pink with the return
If warmth.
Or Rousing herself from the mute co
10 temptation OF her charge. she shot
,e the girls shoulder. Instantly she wi
~ awake and staring, alarm in her daze
s. bewildered eyes.
~ "You must go to bed,' said MI
g. Wrandall quietly. Don't be afrai
10 No one will think of coming here"
to The girl rose. AS she stood befo
- L..asa.4.oo. nho haard har mt