The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-07-10
A Narrow Escape
BY ERrfINlE HOLLAND
Copyright BY Frank A. Munssy Co.

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be got sick Of 1t ALL"
She resumed her work-the kneading
Of a loury 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 n they
had. And when they had done that
they gave him no peace until he mar.
ried her. 1t didn't matter about me.
It was nothing to them that l had
grown to think of him all day long and
dream of him at nights. 1t was moth
ing to them that l went to school long.
er than we could afford and read books
and studied nights that l might not be
too ignorant. And l would have gone
away to be q nurse and left them
alone. old and feeble as they are. for
his sake"
She spoke In a voice that was indis-
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 vas tired of her silent thoughts.
II scarcely get time to think in the
she continued. with the
work and the looking after them. but
at nights it Is different. And on nights
like this, when 1t is blowing hard and
the wind moan and the snow drifts
and drifts, then it comes into my head,
and it won't leave me. and l 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
It with a white cloth for the night.
Then she went to the door and Open
ed it cautiously. 1t was wild and
stormy without. A snow laden blast
into the room, making the lamp
fame flicker almost to extinction. She
it hurriedly ere the drift at its
base should fall inward.
1T 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. 1t reminds
me Of the blizzard Of six years back.
when l was teaching in Cedar Valley.
The storm lasted three days, and
She stopped suddenly to listen. An
sound in the wind had
her ear. like q voice. a hail
Again Il came, assuredly q call and
close at hand.
In an instant she had opened the
door once more and stood peerfng out
into the night
She did not wait long. A form
emerged from out the darkness and
the clouds Of swirling snow, and a man
at the stoop to unloose his
and stamp the white clods
from his moccasined feet. Then. with
a mufled greeting. he stepped past her
into the room.
Its you. doctorr' she exclaimed.
Yes" be said. Il am forced to give
In at last. / tried 1t 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
cred.
II hope and pray there is- no me In
sad distress this night doctor?" she
asked anxiously. ..s..
1T Ia Mrs. Graham Of the Ridge.
She has pneumonia and 4 weak heart
They think she cannot get through the
night" he walked restlessly to the
end Of the room and back. II fear
they are in sore need of assistance"
The girls heart beat with great force
at bis words. but her face showed no
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 the
fire as it roared and sparkled up the
chimney.
1T is q bad trouble" she said at
length. Then. as II a sudden thought
had come: you're Dr.. Graham. Might
you be kin Of theirs?
mo But | used to know DR.. Jack.
We were ut college together"
Has be been sen for?"
Il believe so. hut 1t will take some
days to get here II this state Of wealth.
er continues"
He ven on: II understand he has
opened MP Il practice near my old home
in Port Arthur. 1t ia rather strange
that J should have done the same thing
down here near his"
Have yon eve seen-his wife?" The
girls voice falterrd on the last words.
II have not" he answered I'VE are
entirely ont NJ touch lately. 1 did moi
know he had married
THE paper said she was talented.
md his mother told. me that she wal
lea ntiful--and rich
A long silence fell between them.
The doctor leaned hack in the old arm.
chair and soon dozed. The girl sa1
straight up. with her hands clasped to
gether in her lap aud her gaze still on
the Ore. She was thinking. thinking.
Every throb Of her heart seemed "a
repeat two words. His MOTHER" Had
her time really come. then: She had
made one life scarcely worth the NJ.