The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-02-12

Stolen
Singer
CHAPTER XVII.
The Turn Of the Tide.


are often the signal of birth or death,
sometimes of both. The old red house
threw its beacon from almost every
window that night, and seemed mute
ly to defy the onslaught of enveloping
darkness, whether Plutonic or Stygian.
Time was when Parson Thayer's IL
brary lamp burned nightly into the lit
tie hours, and through the uncurtained
windows the churchyard ghosts, had
they wandered that way, could have
seen his long thin form, wrapped in a
paisley cloth dressing-gown, sitting in
the glow. He would have been read
ing some old leather-bound volume,
and would have remained for hours
almost as quiet and noiseless as the
ghosts themselves. Now he had stepped
across the threshold and Joined them,
and new spirits had come to burn the
light in the old red house.
Agatha, half-dressed, had slept, and
woke feeling that the night must be
far advanced. The house was very
still, with no sound or echo of the in
coherent tones which, for now many
uagog ldu COlut llOll lut IOOUl uONu
the hall. She'1it a candle, and the
sputtering match seemed to fill the
house with noise. Her clock indicated
a little past midnight 1t was only
twenty minutes since she had lain
down, but she was wide awake and
refreshed. While she was pinning up
her hair in a big mass on the top of
no. h. t., L. i.
steady steps, firm but not heavy, even
as in daytime. Susan Stoddard did
not tiptoe.
Agatha was at the door before she
could knock.
You had better come for a few
minutes" Mrs. Stoddard said. The
tones were, in themselves, an adjura-
ton to faith and fortitude.
Eyes, l will come" said Agatha.
They walked together down the dimly
lighted hall, each woman in her own
way proving how strong and efficient
is the discipline of selfcontrol.
I In the sick-room a screen shaded
the light from the bed, which had been
pulled out almost into the middle of
the room. Near the bed was a table
with bottles, glasses, covered pitch
er, and on the floor an oxygen tank.
Doctor Thayer's massive figure was in
the shadow close to the bed, and
Aleck Van Camp leaned over the
curved footboard. James lay on his
pillow, ghost of man, still as death
itself. AS Agatha grew accustomed to
the light, she saw that his eyes were
closed, the lips under the ragged
beard were drawn and slightly part
ed; his forehead was the pallid fore
head of death-in-life. Neither the doc
tor nor Aleck moved or turned their
gaze from the bed as Agatha and Mrs.
Stoddard entered. The air was still,
and the profound silence without was
as a mighty reservoir for the silence
within.
= Agatha stood by the footboard be-
side Aleck, while Mrs. Stoddard, get
ting warm freestone from the invis-
ible Mr.. Hand in the hall, placed it
beneath the bedclothes. Aleck Van
Camp dropped his head, covering his
face with his hands. Agatha, watch
ing, by and by saw a change come
over the sick mans face. She held
her breath. it seemed for untold min
utes, while Doctor Thayer reached his
hand to the patients heart and leaned
over to observe more closely his face |
"See!" she whispered to Aleck,
touching his shoulder lightly, che is
looking at u.s." When Aleck looked up
James was indeed looking at them |
with large, serious, half-focussed eyes. |
1t was as If he were coming back |
from another world where the laws of |
vision were different, and he was only |
partially adjusted to the present con-
ditions. He moved his hands feebly |
under the bedclothes, where they |
were being warmed by the freestone,
and then tried to moisten his lips. |
Agatha took a glass of water from |
the table, looked about for a napkin, |
but, seeing none, wet the tips of her
fingers and placed them gently over |
James lips. His eyes followed her at |
first, but closed for an instant as she |
came near. When they opened again.
my icChSu uiOiS HdluTdl AS NE Ielt |
the comfort Of the water on his lips,
his features relaxed, and a look of |
recognition illumined his face. His
eyes moved from Agatha to Aleck,
who was now bending over him, and |
back to Agatha. The look was a sa-
lutte, happy and peaceful. Then his
eyes closed again.
their watch. almost fearing to breathe.
Doctor Thayer worked. gave quiet or
ders. tested the heartbeats, let no
movement or symptom go unnoticed.
For a 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 there
To- DerhaDg by that unaean nlavuriybf