Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-05-23
IheHOlOW
hi : Of Her Hand
George Barr McCutCheon


q shall be busy all day. you will not
be disturbed. But leave the rest to
me. / shall find a way"
1t was nearly three o'clock when
she brought the car to a stop in front
of a small, exclusive hotel not far
from Central park The street was
dark and the vestibule was but dimly
lighted. No attendant was in sight.
slip into this" commanded Mrs.
Wrandall. beginning to divest herself
Of her own fur coat 1T will cover
your muddy garments. am quite
warmly dressed. Don't worry. Be
quick. For the time being you are my
guest here You will not be Ques-
toned. No one need know who you
are. 1t will not matter If you look dis
tressed. You have just heard of the
dreadful thing that has happened to
me. You"
Happened to you?" cried the girl.
drawing the coat about her.
"A member of my family has died.
They know it in the hotel by this
time. 1 was called to the death bed
tonight. That is all you will have to
know"
NOh. am sorfy-"
Come, let US go in When we
reach my rooms, you may order food
and drink. You must do it, not L.
Please try to remember that it is 1
who am suffering, not you"
A sleepy night Waterman took them
up in the elevator. He was not even
Interested Mrs. Wrandall did not
speak, but leaned rather heavily on
the arm of her companion. The door
had no sooner closed behind them
when the girl collapsed. She sank to
the floor in a heap.
Get up!" commanded her hostess
sharply. This was not the time for
soft, persuasive words. Get up at
once. You are young and strong. You
must show the stuff you are made of
now If you ever mean to show it
cannot help you If you quail
The girl looked up piteously, and
then struggled to her feet. She stood
before her protectress, weaving like
a frail reed in the wind, pallid to the
lips.
Il beg your pardon" she murmured.
'I will not give way like that again.
1 dare say 1 am faint. 1 have had no
food. no rest-but never mind that
now. Tell me what am to do. / will
try to obey
First OF all, get out of those muddy,
frozen things you have on
Mrs. Wrandall herself moved stfff1y
and with unsteady limbs as she began
to remove her own outer garments.
The girl mechanically followed her ex-
ample. She was a pitiable object in
the strong light of the electrolier
Muddy from head to foot, water
stained and bedraggled. her face
streaked with dirt, she was the most
unattractive creature one could well
imagine.
These women, SO strangely thrown
together by Fate, maintained an I'M
broken silence during the long, fumb-
ling process of partial disrobing. They
scarcely looked at one another, and
yet they were acute1y conscious of the
interest each felt in the other. The
grateful warmth of the room, the abb
rupt transition from gloom and cheer
lessness to comfortable obscurity, had
a more pronounced effect on the
stranger than on her hostess.
1t is good to feel warm once more"
she said. an odd timidness in her man
ner. You are very good to me-"
They were sitting in Mrs. Wran-
dalPs bedchamber, just off the little
Three or four trunks
stood against the walls.
Il dismissed my maid on landing.
She robbed me-" said Mrs. Wrandall
voicing the relief that was uppermost
in her mind. She opened a closet
door and took out thick eider-down
robe, which she tossed across a chair.
Now call up the office and say that
you are speaking for me. Say to them
that I must have something to eat, |
no matter what the hour may be- |
will get out some clean underwear for |
you. and Oh. yes; if they ask about |
me. say that 1 am cold and i'll. That !
s sufficient. Here is the bath. Please
De as quick about it as possible"
Moving as if in a dream, the girl |
lid as she was told Twenty minutes |
alter there was a knock at the door. |
A waiter appeared with a tray and |
service table He found Mrs. Wran- |
iall lying back in a chair, attended |
~ a slender young woman in a pink
dressing gown, who gave
lesitating directions to him. Then he
vas dismissed with a handsome tip, /
PRODUCED by the same young woman
You are not to return for these
hings," she said as he went out
In silence she ate and drank. her
hostess looking on with gloomy inter