Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03
BY ELMORE ELLIOTT PEAKE

he mig ht be an escaped iunatic
a thank you for your Kindness, he added. "Now,
favor: Would there be any objection to me
and my horse occupying your stable tonight? The poor
beasts hardships have equaled my own.
you are welcome to the stable, said she; though
her heart sank at thought of his continued proximity.
"Then goodnight and goodby. l shall be on my way
again by two o'clock
of the house, fastening every door and window
for the first time in her recollection Then retiring to
her bedroom where little Merrc also slept she locked
the door and drew down the shades.
She not exactly afraid She had not believed the
villain; but if he proved she had resolved to
defend herself and her child to the last extremity
Sleep, of course, to be thought Of and without
removing her clothes she sat down to watch out the
night.
She first tried to read; but the printed word had no
power to hold her wandering mind. Fancywork proved
equally futile and finally she casped her hands behind
her head and frankly allowed her thoughts riot
pcturing the stranger first at window and then at
another, ransacking the pantry for silver tip
toeing noiseessly down the hall outside her door.
c she s oned W
her eye and occasionally with her hand She wished
IA instead of 32, and the idea of killing fellow being
at first revolving, began to grow upon her until she
found herself canvassing imaginary human figure for
its most vulnerable zones.
She was recalled from this cheerful preoccupaton by
N1errck stirring in his bed, gritting his teeth and
smacing his lips. 1t bad sign; but he grew
quiet again. An indefinite interval ensued. The clock
in the library proclaimed midnight in lingering dulcet
Ediths heart.
IT scream from Merrick, the piercing peculiar,
characteristic scream that invariably heralded
of his attacks Upon its repetition the mother eaped
to her feet with casped hands and white face.
the seizure of her child far from physicians hand
But her panic quickly passed She had a bottle of
medicine palliative rather than curative She had
been instructed in simple home treatment. So she
flew to the kitchen and generated the gasoene stove
While it blowing she filled vessel with water
Then she paused to recall whether the wooden bandages
kept for this emergency had been packed not
In the pause her fell upon the uwashed plate and
glass the table, and her nocturnal visitor her
mind, curiously enough, like memory of the past.
No answer She flung the door open fumbled for
the electric torch that had superseded the dangerous
kerosene lantern and flashed its disk of light about the
pitch-black interior.
Her ledger lay bundle of hay sound asleep.
Strding across the Intervening space and kneeng at
his side she shook him roughly until he opened his eyes
"Get up!' she commanded. II need your help NV
child is in commissions. | want you to ride down to
Santa Juana for DIR. Barrickman. Remember the
knows just what the treatment of family physician
IS" Her voice broke. "Oh it's SO far 1t will take six
seven hours to get him here. You might lose your
way Maybe it would be better to take the child down.
Think Man-think hard!'
Il am thinking, he answered, reaching for his shoes
As he laced them up, swiftly but without hurry, in
the glare of the electric she noted again how dirty and
how delicate his fingers were.
"What do you Think"
Il think | will take look at your child myself
"You' She laughed Historically.
eyes, |, he answered calmly.
he stood at the side of the little suferer-after
having secured his hands at the kitchen sink-he
seemed to undergo metamorphoss. The stoop went
out of his shoulders, his head assumed poise a
subtle yet tangible bacng of his whole frame took place.
his dark eyes fixed in thought. For perhaps a
minute he stood thus if spelbound by the spectacle
until Edith again questioned his sanity. Then he
stopped and, opening the boys clenched fist, watched
it fex again.