Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-05-08

VIII I'LL DOAOA AA8s NV yOo.
A sleepy night Waterman took them
up In the elevator. He was not even
interested. Mrs. Wrandau did moi
speak, but leaned rather heavily or
the arm Of her companion. The dool
had no sooner closed behind then
whom the girl collapsed. She sank te
the floor In Q heap.
Get up!" commanded her hostess
sharply. This was not the time fol
SOFT, persuAsive words. ..10et up ai
once. You are young and stropg. You
must show the stun you are made Of
now II you ever mean to show It
cannot help you II you quail"
The girl looked mp pitsously. and
then struggled to her feet She stood
before her proteotress. weaving like
q frail reed in the wind. pallid to the
lips.
Il beg your pardon" she murmured
Il win not give way like that again.
I dare say I am faint ! have had no
food, no rest-but never mind that
now. Tell me what am to do. I will
try to obey"
First Of all, get out of those muddy.
frosen things you have on"
Mrs.. Wrandall herself moved stif1y
and with unsteady limbs ~ she began
to remove her own outer garments.
The girl mechanically followed her ex-
ample. She was . pitiable object in
the strong light Of the electrolier.
Muddy from head to foot, water.
stained and bsdraggled. her face
streaked with dirt. she was the most
unattractive creature one could well
imagine.
These women. 20 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 acutsly 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.
IT II good to feel warm once more
she said. an odd timidness in her man
ner. You arc very good to me"
They were sitting In Mrs.. Wran-
dall's bedchamber. Just on the little
sitting-room. Three or four trunks
stood against the walls.
Il dismissed my maid on landing
She robbed me-" said Mr.. Wrandall.
voicins the relief that was uppermost
In her mind. She opened . closet
door and took out q thick eider-down
robe. which she tossed across . chair.
Nov call up the once 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.
win get out some clean underwear for
you. and Oh. yes: II they ask about
me. say that am cold and III. That
II sufficient Hero 10 the bath. Please
b - quick about It d possible"
Moving - II In Q dream. the girl
did - abe was told. Twenty minutes
later there was . knock at the door.
A waiter appeared with . tray and
service table. He found Mrs. Wran-
dali lying back In Q chair, attended
BY . slender young woman in q pink
dressing-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
she said - he went out.
In silence she ate end drank. her
hostess looking on with gloomy inter
est. It was no shock to Mrs. Wran-
dali to flnd that the girl. who was no
more than twenty-five or three, DOS
sessed unusual beauty. Her great eyes
we're blue-the lovely Irish blue-her
skin was fair and smooth. her fea-
lures regular and Of the delicate mold
that defines the wellbred gentlewom-
An At . glance. Her hair, now In or
der. was dark and thick and lay softly
about her small ears and neck. She
was not surprised, I repeat, for she
had never known Challis Wrandall to
show interest in any but the most
Attractive Of her sex. She found her
Delf smiling bitterly ~ she looked.
But who may know the thoughts Of
The other occupant Of that little sit
Who can put herself in
he place Of that despairing. hunted
creature who knew that blood was ON
he hands with which she ate, and
whose eyes were filled with visions of
he death-chair?
So great was her fatigue that long
before she finished the meal her tired
ids began to droop. her head to nod
n spasmodic surrenders to an over
covering desire for sleep. Suddenly
he dropped the fork from her fingers
md sank back in the comfortable
chair. her head resting against the
'oft, upholstered back. Her lids fell.
her hands dropped to the arms Of the
hair. A fine line appeared between
Ter dark eyebrows-indicati of pain.
For many minutes Sara Wrandall
watched the Magazines deepen in
he face Of the unconscious sleeper.
Then. even a. she wondered at the
lct. she went over and took up one Of
he slim hands In her own. The hand
u an aristocrat! It bay limp In hsrs.
md helpless. Long. tapering fingers
md delicately pink With the return Of
warmth.
Rousing herseif from the mute con
emplation Of her charge. she shook
he girls shoulder. Instantly she VS.
wake and staring. alarm in her dasod,
'eWildered eyes.