The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-06-19

But when Airing arrived few mo-
ments late, accompanied by Gibbs,
and joined Stephen In the chamber
above where he sat holding his wife's
hama In both his own, he merely shook
LIS head. II was as he had expected,
only the end had been longer deferred
than he had thought possible. He
stole from the room and rejoined
Gibbs in the kitchen
You tell him. Gibbs can't" he
said.
Gibbs rubbed his struggling unkempt
beard with astremulous hand
Maybe he don't need to be told"
he suggested. But II you think he
should be, III do it; and he stood
erect, with something OF his old air.
He mounted the creaking stairs.
Stephen must have heard him coming,
for he opened the door and stepped
out into the narrow hail. that was
barely large enough to hold the two
men and the small stand. where Mrs
Basset had placed a smoky lamp with
a dirty chimney.
Where's the doctOr-why don't he
c1me back Landray demanded in a
fierce whisper is the drunken fool
going to do nothing
Steve" began the general, with
white shaking lips, Steve, bear up,
Airing says there amt anything he
can do
Stephen looked at him, scarce COM
pretending what 1t was he said
lie don't know what he's talking
about-the fools drunk" he said
roughly.
Il reckon he is" lamented Gibbs
weakly. I'D a had him under the
pump II there'd been time, but my
Julia said for him TO hurry. and
closed up and brought him along just
as he was, he wasn't fit to come by
himself"
Send him up here again. said
Stephen with stern insistence There
is something he can do--my God"
aid he broke off abruptly and re-en-
tered his wife's room.
"Come!" said Gibbs. when he had
returned to the kitchen Come, stir
around" he ordered, laying hand on
Aclings shoulder Come there's
something you can do, and you've got
10 Go it" He was In a panic OF haste
He snatched up his dingy medicine
case and thrust it into Arling's shak-
ing hands. He's waiting for you. go
UP and do what you can"
Haven't you told him, Gibbs? She
is dying: all he's got to go is to look
at Ter to see that.
You're the one to tell him them
poor Steve-you go to him. must go
fetch my Julia and the baby" and he
stumbled out into the darkness with
neither hat nor lantern, and fed
across the back lots toward the light
that burned In his own window.
He soon returned with Julia, who
went at once TO the room above. In
the narrow hall she encountered Arl-
ing, who had just come from Marian's
bedside, where he had administered
to her some simple restorative. She
brushed past him without word.
Thank you for coming, it's good
70 have woman about" murmured
Stephen. glancing toward the door as
she entered.
Marian lay on the bed without
speech or movement, but her eyes,
now brilliant and filed with strange
light, followed every movement OF the
two Julia, with Stephens help, made
her more comfortable: they smoothed
her pillows and raised her higher
on them, for Mrs. Gibbs had been
quick TO see that her breath came
with difficulty.
She had never liked Marian, and
Marian had never liked her--but she
had forgotten all this-which, after
ali, was only that chance which de-
termines who shall love and who shall
hate. Now she was all tenderness,
this energetic woman. with the lines
OF shrewish temper already stamped
upon her face; and her glance always
sJftened when she looked at stephen
There was little either could do but
wait: and Marian, save for the look in
her eyes and their restless turning,
gave no sign that she knew what was
passing about her.
Presently Julia stole downstairs to
the kitchen. She found Mrs Bassett.
the general and Airing still there: the
DO! fast asleep In her husbands arms
Law" she cried Haven't any Of
you had sense enough to put that child
&c bed?' and she whisked him out of
G bis arms and carried him into the
adjoining room.
After that the four fell 10 watching
the clock "a II the slow-moving hands
would tell them when all was over.
and as they watched. the row OF rag.
god lights in the uncurtained, windows
that looked ont upon Grant City's
main street, disappeared one By one.
ana IL was midnight and very still.
At last Julia rose from her chair
ard without word went upstairs:
she seemed 10 know that all was
over She noiselessly pushed open
tn door and entered the room.
Stephens face was buried In the
pillow beside his wife's. A glance
;oid her what had happened during
her absence from the room. I She
s, apped TO the bedside and placed her
hand gently on the mans shoulder.
she felt him shrink from the sudden
touch
Come" she said kindly. you