River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-02-27

dock. Agatha appealed to the doctor
with great earnestness.
Surely, Doctor Thayer, 1t is a
Providence that we came in just here,
where people will know ne and will
help me. need shelter for little
while, and care for my sick friend
here. Where can we go?"
Doctor Thayer cast a judicial eye
over the landscape, while he held his
hat up into the breeze. SITS going to
clear; it'll be fine afternoon" said
he. Then deliberately: why don't
you go up to the old red house? Sallie
Kingsbury's there keeping it, just as
she did when Hercules was alive;
waiting for you or the lawyer or some
body to turn her out. / guess. And
it's only five miles BIZ the good road.
You couldn't go to any Of these sailor
shacks down here, and $he big sum-
mer hotel over yonder isn't any place
for sick man, let alone lady with
out her trunk"
Agatha looked in amazement at the
doctor go to the old red house
TO stay?"
why not? If you're Agatha Red
mond, it's yours, isn't it? And I
guess nobody's going to dispute your
being Agatha Shaw's daughter, look
ing as you do. The house is big
enough for all creation; and, besides,
they've been on pins and needles wait
ing for you to come, or write, or do
something" The doctor gave a grim
chuckle. Hercules surprised them all
some, by his will. But they'll all be
glad to see you, / guess. unless it is
Sister Susan. She was always pretty
hard on Hercules; and she didn't APP
prove Of the will-thought the house
ought to go to the Founding Asylum"
Agatha looked as if she saw the
gates of Eden opened to her. But
could l really go there? Would it be
all right? I've not even seen the law
yer" There was no need of answers
to her questions; she knew already
that the old red house would receive
her, would be refuge for herself and
for James, who needed a refuge so
sorely.
The doctor was already making his
plans III drive this man here" in
dicating James, "and he'll need some
one to nurse him for a while, too.
You can go up in one OF Simon Nash's
wagons; and I'll get a nurse up there
as soon as | can"
The launch had tied up to the
larger dock, and Hand and Little ST.
mon had been waiting some minutes
while Agatha and the doctor con-
ferred together. Now, as Agatha hest
tated, the businesslike Hand was at
her elbow Il can help you, Made
moiselle, if you will let me. I have
had some experience with sick men"
Agatha looked at him with grateful
eyes, only half realizing what it was
he was offering. The doctor did not
wait, but Immediately took the ar
rangement for granted. He began Civ
ing orders in the tone of man who
knows just what he wants done, and
knows also that he will be obeyed.
You stay here, Mr.. Hand, and help
with this gentleman; and Little ST.
mon, here, you go up to your fathers
livery stable and harness up, quick as
you can. Then drive up to my place
and get the boy to bring my buggy
down here, with the white horse.
Quick, you understand? Tell them the
doctors waiting"
Agatha sat in the launch while the
doctors orders were carried out. Lit
tie Simon was off getting the vehi-
Giles; Doctor Thayer had run up the
dock to the village street on some
errand, saying he would be back by
the time the carriages were there;
and Hand was walking up and down
the dock, keeping watchful eye on
the launch. James was lying In the
sheltered corner of the boat, ominous-
ly quiet His eyes were closed, and
his face had grown CHASTITY in his i'll
ness. Tears came to Agatha's eyes
as she looked ct him, seeing how
much worse his condition was than
when he had talked with her, almost
happily, in the night. She herself
felt miserably tired and Ill; ana as she
waited, she had the sensation one
sometimes has in waiting for train;
that the waiting would go on for
ever, would never end.
The weather changed, as the doc
tor had prophesied, and the rain
ceased Fresh gusts of wind from the
sea blew clouds of fog and mist in
land, while the surface of the water
turned from gray to green, from green
to blue The wind, blowing against
the receding tide, tossed the foam
back toward the land in fantastic
plumes. Agatha, looking out over the
sea, which now began to sparkle in the
light, longed in her heart to take the
return of the sunshine as an omen of
good. 1t warmed and cheered her,
body and soul.
AS her eyes turned from the sea to
the village tossed up beyond its high
est tides, she searched, though in vain,
for some spot which she could iden-
tify with the memories of her child
hood. She must have seen Charles
port in some one of her numerous Wis
its to lion as child; but though she
recalled wildly many of her expert
ences, they were in no way sugges-
tive of this tiny antiquarian village, or
of the rocky hillside stretching off to-
ward the horizon. A narrow road
wound athwart the hill, leading into
the country beyond. 1t was steep and