The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-04-26

! leaned over 10 oDoS''N n.y.
his face. -
tonchinR his shoulder lightly. "he IS
! looking al us. When Aleck looked
up James was Indeed looking At a.
with large. serious, half-focussed
ewes. II was as il he were coming
back from another world where the
| laws of vision were different and he
| was only partially adjusted TO the
present conditions He moved MS
| hands feebly under the bedclothes,
where they were being warmed oy
the freestone, and then tried 10 mols-
] ten his lips. Agatha took glass OF
water from the table, looked about
| for a napkin. but, seeing none, WEI
I the tips OF her fingers and placed
them gently over James lips. Ills
ewes followed her at first, but closed
| for an instant as she came near.
When they opened again, they looked
more natural. AS he felt the comfort
OF the water on his lips, his features
relaxed. and look OF recognition III
! lumined his face. His eyes moved
| from Agatha To Aleck. who was now
bending over him, and back 10
Agatha. The look was salute, hap
by and peaceful. Then his eyes clos
| ed again.
For an hour Agatha and Aleck kept
their watch. almost fearing TO breathe.
! Dostor Thayer worked. gave quiet
orders, tested the. heartbeats, let no
movement or symptom go unnoticed.
For time James kept even the doc
tor in doubt whether he was slipping
| into the Great Unknown or into a
deep and convalescent sleep. BY the
end Of the hour. however. Jimsy had
decided for natural sleep, urged
thereto. perhaps. by that unseen play
wright who had decreed another time
| for the curtain; or perhaps he was
kept by Doctor Thayer's professional
persuasions, in defiance OF the
prompter's signal However the
case, the heart slowly but surely be-
| gan TO take up it's job like an honest
force-pump, the face began 10 lose its
| death-like pallor. the breathing be-
came more nearly normal Doctor
Thayer, with Mrs. Stoddard quiet and
| efficient at his elbow, worked and
tested and worked again. and finally
sat moveless for some minutes, watch
in hand, counting the pulsations OF
| James heart. At the end OF the time
he laid the hand carefully back un-
der the clothes, put the watch In his
| pocket. and finally got up and looked
around the room.
| Mrs. Stoddard was pouring some
! thing into a measuring glass Agatha
was standing by the window, looking
out into the blue night; and Aleck
could be seen through the half-open
door, pacing up and down the hall
Doctor Thayer turned to his sister.
"Give him his medicine on the half
hour, and then you go to bed That
man Hand will do now" Then he
went to the door and addressed
Aleck. We'll, Mr.. Van Camp, un-
less something unexpected turns up,
think your cousin will live to jump
overheard again"
Offhand as the words were, there
was unmistakable satisfaction, happi-
ness. even triumph in his voice. and
he returned Alexis hand-clasp with
vice-like grip. His masculinity ignored
Agatha, or pretended to; but she had
followed him to the door. AS the old
man clasped hands with Aleck, he
heard behind him deep, 20 Doctor
The next instant Agatha's arms were
around his neck, and the back OF his
bald head was pressed against some
thing that could only have been
cheek. Surprising as this was, the
doctor did not stampede: but by the
time he had got clear of Aleck and
had reached up his hand to find the
cheek, il was gone, and the arms, too. |
Susan Stoddard somehow got mixed
up In the general TIE Deum in the /
hall, and for the first time, now that
the fight was over, allowed her femi-
nine feelings-that is, few tears-to
come 10 the surface.
Aleck, however, went to pieces,
gone down in that species OF mental
collapse by which deliberate, judicial
men become reckless, and strong men
become weak. lie stepped softly back
into the bedroom and leaned again
over the curved footboard, his face
quite miserable. He went nearer, and
held his ear down close to the bed
clothes, TO hear for himself the regu-
lar beating of the heart. Slowly he
himself that the doctors
words might possibly be true, at least
He turned to Hand, who had come In
and was adjusting the shades, ana
asked him: do you believe he's
asIeep?" in the tone Of one who de-
mands an oath.
"Oh, yes, sir; he's sleeping nicely,
Mr.. Van Camp. II saw the change
the moment came in
Aleck still hesitated to leave. rear
full. apparently, lest he might take the
blessed sleep away with him. AS he
stood by the bed, low but distinct
whistle sounded outside, then, after
interval, was repeated.
Aleck lifted his head at the first sig
nal. took another look at James and
one at Hand, then light as a cat ne
darted from the room and down the
stairs, leaving the house through one
of the tall windows in the parlor. Mr.
was standing near tho
lilac bushes, his big figure outlined
dimly in the darkness.
shut up" Aleck whispered fierce
IL. as she ran toward him. Hes just
got TO sleep, Chamberlain; gone TO
sleep. like baby. Don't make an In
fernal racket"
ooh, | didn't know. Didn't mean 10
make racket" began Chamberlain,
when Aleck pumped into him ana
shook him by the shoulders.
Hes asleep--like a baby he re-
Iterated. And Chamberlain. wise
comrade. took Aleck by the arm and
tramped him of over the hill TO settle
~. ,,o~yog TbaY watlypd for an hour /