The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-09-10
"Weathered
A Narrow Escape
BY ERnINIE HOLLAND
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.
BY ERN1INIE HOLLAND


"He would never have done It," said
the girl. Strengthening herself mo-
ment from her task-"he would never
have done 1t IL they hadn't forced him
to II. They we're always teasing and
haunting. nagg,ng and grumbling. until
he got sick OF II all"
She resumed her work-the kneading
Of a noury mass Of dough-with the
energy OF an unnatural force within
"They thought because they had saved
some money from the fruit of their
hard labors they would make a gentle
man OF him. being the only one they
had. And when they had done that
they gave him no peace until he mar
ried her II didn't matter about me.
II was nothing TO them that ] had
grown TO think Of him all day long and
dream Of him at nights. II was moth
ing to them that went to school long.
er than we could afford and read books
and studied nights that | might not be
too ignorant And | would have gone
away to be nurse and left them
alone. old and feeble as they are. for
| his sake"
She spoke in a voice that was indis-
tinctly audible. for there was none to
hear. The deep breathing from the in
ner cha mber told her that its occupants
could be awakened by no such sounds,
and she was tired of her silent thoughts.
II scarcely get time to think In the
daytime" she continued. with the
work and the looking after them, but
at nights II is different And on nights
like this. when II is blowing hard and
the wind means and the snow drifts
and drifts. then IL comes into my head,
and II won't leave me, and can't send
It away with sleep, for sleep Is hard to
bring these nights"
She finished in silence. placing the
spongy material in a dish and covering
II with a white cloth for the night
Then she went TO the door and open
ed II cautiously. II was wild and
stormy without snow laden blast
swept into the room. making the lamp
fame flicker almost to extinction. She
closed 1t hurriedly ere the drift at Its
base should fall inward.
cit gets worse and worse" she muir
INJURED THE Lord lend his aid to any
one abroad in the hills tonight. The
storm would blind and freeze and the
road would sure be lost Ii reminds
me OF the blizzard of six years back,
when was teaching in Cedar Valley.
The storm lasted three days, and
She stopped suddenly to listen. An
unwonted sound In the wind had
caught her ear. like voice, hail
Again II came. assuredly call and
close at hand.
In an instant she had opened the
door once more and stood peering out
, into the night
! emerged from out the darkness aud
the clouds Of swirling snow. and man
paused at the stoop TO unloose his
snowshoes and stamp the white clods
from his moccasined feet. Then, with
a mufiied greeting. he stepped past her
into the room.
! Its you. doctorr' she exclaimed.
"Yes." he said. II am forced to give
In mt last tried II ON foot from
Browns. but lost the road just be-
yond here and all idea of direction"
Its the worst for many and many
long year." she replied. And you're
new at the Glen. You're not wealth
i cred.
IL hope and pray there Is no one In
sad distress this night doctorY' she
asked anxiously.
: "It is Mrs. Graham OF the Ridge.
She has pneumonia and weak heart
They think she cannot get through the
night" He walked restlessly to the
end OF the room and back. Il fear
they are In sore need of assistance"
The girls heart beat with great force
at his words. but her face showed nc
= sign. She placed a chair for him. oiled
! his cup with tea. pressed him TO par
. take OF the cold venison then sat down
On the settee and looked steadily at thu
y fire as IL roared and sparkled up the
chimney.
J at is a bad trouble" she said al
length. Then. as II a sudden thought
had come: You're DR.. Graham. Nigh,
you be kin of theirs?'
mo. Hut | used to know DIR, Jack
We were at college together"
elias he been sent forY'
II believe so. But IL will take some
days TO get here IL this state of wealth
Or continues.
He went on: Il understand he has
opened up practice near my old hons
In Port Arthur II is rather strange
that should have done the same tliinl
down here near his"
"Have you ever seen-his wifeT Tit
Eirl's voice faltered on the last words.
81 have not" lie answered I'VE are
entirely out of touch lately. ] did moi
tnow he had married"
1.-THE paper said she was talented.
and his mother told me that she wal
beautiful-and rich"
A long silence fell between them
The doctor leaned back In the old arm
chair and soon dozed The girl sal
straight up. with her hands clasped TO
gether In her lap and her gaze still OF
J, the fire. She was thinking. thinking
I Every throb of her heart seemed Il
4 repeat two words. His mother" Had
a her time really come. then? She had
! made one life scarcely worth the liv
. Ing. For that she deserved TO die. aye