The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-12-19
By Booth
Harrington

anu welcome as the ola man reacneu
the open doorway. Then the door was
closed.
George began TO pace the floor, TAX
ing care not 10 go near Isabel's door.
and that his footsteps We're muffled by
the long. thick hall rug After q while
he went to where Anderson. with fold
ed arms and bowed head, had seated
himself near the front window. Uncle
George" he said hoarSely. Il didn't"
'Well?"
'Oh, my God. didn't think this
thing the matter with her could ever
be serious +" He gasped. when the
doctor l had meet US at the boat"
He could not go on.
Anderson only nodded his head, and
did not otherwise change his attitude.
:. (. Isabel lived through the night.
AT eleven O'Clock Fanny came timidly
to George in his room. Eugene Is
here" she whispered. Hes down.
stairs. He wants" She guiped HE
wants to know if he can't see her
didn't know what TO say. 1 said I'd
see. l didn't know-the doctor said"
THE doctor said we must keep her
you think that mans coming would be
very soothing? My God, if it hadn't
been for him this mightn't have hap
pened: we could have gone on living
here quietly. and-why. ii would be
like taking a stranger into her room
She hasn't even spoken of him more
than twice in all the time we've been
away. Doesn't he know how sick She
is? You tell him the doctor said she
had TO be quiet and peaceful. That's
what he did say, isn't it,"
Fanny acquiesced tearfully. "I1l tell
him. I'll tell him the doctor said she
was to be kept very quiet II didn't
know" And she pottered out.
An hour later the nurse appeared
in Georges doorway; she came noise
lessly, and his back was toward her;
but he jumped as if he had been shot.
and his jaw fell, he so feared what
she was going to say.
''She wants 70 see YOU"
The terrified mouth shut with click
and he nodded and followed her. but
she remained outside his mothers
room while he went III.
Isabel's eyes were closed, and she
did not open them or move her head,
but she smiled and edged her hand
toward him as he sat on stool beside
the bed. He took that slender, cold
hand and put ii to his cheek.
Darling. did you-get something TO
eatT' She could only whisper slowly
and with difficulty. 1t was as if Isa-
bel herself were far away, and only
able to signal what she wanted to say.
Yes, mother"
"All you needed?"
Yes, mother"
She did not speak again for time;
then, Are you sure you didn't-didn't
catch cold-coming home?"
I'm all right. mother"
That's good. It's sweet-it's
sweet"
what is. mother darling?"
ITO feeI-Iny hand on your cheek
II can feel it,
But this frightened him horribly
that she seemed SO glad she could feel
it. like a child proud of some miracu-
lous seeming thing accomplished It
frightened him so that he could not
speak, and he feared that she would
know how he trembled; but she was
unaware, and again was silent. Final
ly she spoke again:
Il wonder Tiff Eugene and Lucy
know that we've come-home.''
I'm sure they do
HAS he-asked about me?'
"Yes. he was here"
Has he-gone?''
"YeS, mother"
She sighed family. I'D like"
what. mother?'
I'D like to have-seen him." 1t was
audible, this little regretfu murmur
Several minutes passed before there
was another. "Just-just once" she
whispered. and then was still.
She seemed to have fallen asleep,
and George moved to go, but a faint
pressure upon his fingers detained
him, and he remained, with her hand
still pressed against his cheek. After
a while he made sure she was asleep.
and moved again, to let the nurse
come in, and this time there was no
pressure of the fingers to keep him.
She was not asleep, but, thinking that
if he went he might get some rest. and
be better prepared for what she knew
was coming. she commanded those
longing fingers Of hersEand let him
go.
He found the doctor standing with
the nurse in the hall; and telling
them that ais mother was browsing
now. George went back to his own
room where he was startled to find
his grandfather lying on the bed, and
his uncle leaning against the wall
They had gone home two hours before,
and he did not know they had return
ed.
1.-The doctor thought we'd better
come over" Anderson said, then was
silent, and George. shaking violently.
sat down on the edge of the bed. His
shaking continued, and from time TO
time he wiped heavy sweat from his
forehead.
The hours passed. and sometimes
the old man upon the bed would snore
little, stop suddenly. and move as IL
10 rise, but George Anderson would
set q hand upon his shoulder. and
murmur a reassuring word or two.
Once George gasped defiantly
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