Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-09-07
One of These
Country Girls
ny PAUL SCOTT MoWRER
Copyright by the Frank A. Mum
sey Co.
ContinuedIfrom last week.

The rest was lost to Blame for even
as he listened the drowsiness return
ed upon him.
This time it lasted two days!
On the afternoon of the third day
he came out of his sleep clear of head,
and inclined to be indignant at find
ing himself ill in bed. Gertie sat be-
side him.
She looked worn, he thought; she
was pale; there were circles under
her eyes.
In answer to his inquiries she told
him very gently how she had been
unable to restrain her alarm when he
had not come in at the usual holr
from the marshes; how she had stood
the suspense until night dusk, and
how she had then rowed up the lake
in the flat bottomed skiff in search of
him.
Fortunately for Blame her eyes were
as keen as her determination to find
him had been great.
$50 now you got to lie still, like the
doctor said," she concluded, half play.
fully, laying her cool hand upon his
forehead. you've had smart spell
of fever, and we don't want it comm
back on you"
How soothing her hand seemed!
Formerly he had thought it big and
rough. AS he looked up into her soft,
regular features-her full red lips
slightly parted, her calm eyes of deep
blue, her placid brow, now somewhat
wrinkled with solicitous concern for
him-he could not help comparing her
with his wife-Mrs. Franklin Blame
Q woman of stately comliness, whose
cold and gray.
"By the way,' he asked, did you
mail that letter / left on the wash
stand?"
1.-THE one to Eloise Blame? Yes. She
must be your sister amt she? You
amt never told me much about your
family"
NO." said Blame, 'T have no sisters.
She's my aunt. She keeps house for
me when I'm home"
It was the story he customarily Us.
cd. And Gertie," he added, II think
you'd better send telegram to her.
Tell her I'm unavoidably delayed for
q while longer. Do you remember
the address? Or. here-if you'll bring
me some paper and a pencil cut Of
my coat, can write It,"
The girl stood up beside the bed
and gazed on him with a motherly
oppression.
"You turn over'n 60 to sleep,' she
said, smiling. "You don't need to
worry bout that"
''What do you mean?"
"Why," said Gertie, plainly delight.
cd at having forestalled his wishes,
we've already fixed that. We sent
her telegram yesterday-the doctor
said he thought we ought to-and she
sent back she'll get to Lysium Station
tonight.
Oscars goin' to drive in with the
blackboard to meet her. Why, Mr.
Blane!" she cried out in sudden alarm
"are you-have you" She bent quick
ly over him.
"Just a touch-a touch of headache"
breathed Blanc heavily. when did
you say she's coming?"
Tonight. Why? Won't you be glad
to see her?"
good of you to send; but there wasn't
really any need"
Gertie gave him a swift look Of un-
derstanding-or, rather OF misunder-
standing-that made him actually sor-
ry for her; then bidding him again to
go to sleep, she left the room.
The panss Blame had endured that
miserable day in the marsh were as
nothing to those he suffered in the
ensuing hour.
He knew very well what Elsiss
would do: she wouldH give him short
shrift. To woman of her stamp, the
publicity of the courts would be rath-
er agreeable than otherwise; and they
had no children to oonsider-for this
he had thanked his stars.
She had never been congenial to
him, even before he fell under her
suspicion.
At the present time he felt she
would like nothing better than an ex-
cuse to cut loose from him for good
and all, and go soaring away into sub
liminal spheres of hish-minded sub
mission to an unfortunate situation,
leaving him dissraced-the talk of the
town, the sport of his friends.
1t was not that he had done any
thing he regretted; only, after all his
boasting at jovial stag parties, to be
thus ingloriously caught through no
fault of his own--it was msddening.
AS for attempting to break the truth
to Gertie and casting himself on her
mercy, he never dreamed Of 1t. He
knew these country girls; they have
the devotion of dogs as long as they
think you are true to them; but once
they find out you have only been play
Ing with them. they 60 insans--simply
insane! ....---