Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-04-23
The Hollow
b ! Of Her Hand
0GeOr9e Barr McCutCheOn
C0oN7G7Z /0l2 ~ Gz00IZ


! Il shall be busy all day, you will not
be disturbed But leave the rest to
me- I shall find way"
It was nearly three o'clock when
she brought the car to a stop in front
of small, exclusive hotel not far
from Central park. The street was
| dark and the vestibule was but dimiy
lighted No attendant was in sight.
slip into this" commanded Mrs.
| Wrandall, beginning TO diyest 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 qxcs-
| toned No one need know who you
are 1t will not matter IL 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. was called to the death bed
tonight. That is all you will have to
know"
"Oh, am sorry"
Come, let US go in When We
reach my rooms, you may order food
and drink. You must do it, not /.
Please try to remember that 1t is !
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 1t. |
cannot help you II you quail"
The girl looked UP piteously. and
then struggled to her feet She stood
before her protectress, weaving like
fraiI reed in the wind, pallid to the
lips.
Il beg your pardon" she murmured.
Il will not give way like that again.
l dare say am faint. 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. Wrandalk herself moved stiffiy
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 un-
broken silence during the long. fumb-
ling process OF partial disrobing. They
scarcely looked at one another. and
yet they were acutely 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
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 we're sitting in Mrs. Wran-
dall's bedchamber, Just off the little
sitting-room. Three or four trunks
stood against the walls
Il dismissed my maid on landing
She robbed me- said Mrs. Wrandall.
In her mind. She opened closet
door and took out thick eider-down
robe, which she tossed across 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 l am cold and i'll. That
is sufficient. Here is the bath. Please
be as quick about it as possible"
Moving as If in dream, the girl
did as she was told. Twenty minutes
later there was knock at the door
A waiter appeared with a tray and
service table. He found Mrs. Wran-
dali lying back in chair, attended
by slender young woman In pink
eider-down dressings gown, who gave
hesitating directions to him. Then he
was dismissed with handsome tip.
produced by the same young woman.
You are not to return for these
things she said as he went out
In silence she ate and drank, her
hostess looking On with gloomy Inter