The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1919-02-20
| Her VIGILANT AUNT
BY JACK LAYTON.

suitable disposition, various maiden
Of apparently suitable dispositions
having been tried, the most promising
falling to remain suitable" under Mis-
Tuxberry's exacting needs.
The death Of a far-away and half
forgotten brother seemed the answer
to the solution. Thomas, neglected
by his fortune-favopd sister, In leav
ing this world was obliged to leave his
beloved daughter. Drusilla would be
alone and penniless. Thomas, easy
going and visionary, had not prosper
ed. His sister was his last hope OF
help In time, of need. To her. there
fore, with an apologize letter, he sent
his only daughter.
Drus:e, he had called her tenderly
In Aunt Tuxberry's home began a new
and sterner order of things.
Drusilla's disposition changed not
by her aunt's fretfulness, but from
each triad emerged again sunnily, like
flowers after rain.
One morning a bulky letter arrived
It's postmark was that of the city
where Drusilla had made her home.
The address was undoubtedly in a
mans chirography.
The blue eyes Of her niece seemed
suddenly illumined by an inner light
as she reached for the envelope and
her dimples came into play, as she
perused the letter.
'Tt is from Jack" she murmured
happily; che and / have known each
other all our lives. He really felt
dreadfully when came away. We
might have married, but the war and
all made things so uncertain. Now"
Drusilla jumped up and whirled about
in a joyous sort of dance. "He's COM
ing here" she ended.
All the hard lines came back TO
Miss Tuxberry's face, but being wise
In the ways of women, she said not
word. Being INSCRIPTIONS, also,
where her own wishes were concerned,
Miss Tuxberry merely watched for,
and failed to deliver Jacks next let
ter.
Drusie's eager face grew perplexed.
II cannot understand" she said, "why
Jack does not write the date Of mis-
coming"
Miss Tuxberry had learned the date
Of Jacks coming.
swell, if I were you," she advised
briskly, I'D have more pride than to
moon about it," and that evening she
summoned, her physician.
II want to go away to rest my
nerves." she told him. "What sani-
tarium can you recommend, where pa
tients are merely healthy people hu-
moring their imaginations? don't care
to be shut up like sick folks"
The doctor, knowing his patient,
smiled as he scrubbed an address. So
Drusilla was dragged away.
Surely" the girl answered her trou-
bled conscience, II could not be so I'M
grateful as to refuse this service. If
only Jack would write"
Jacks second peremptory letter had
been disposed Of Miss Tuxberry
hoped secretly that hot-headed youth
would find in this apparent indiffer-
ence upon the part of his sweetheart
cause sufficient for long and injured
silence. When she and Drusilla re-
turned from the sanitarium she would
consider further means to prolong that
silence. For faithful and undivided
attention to herself, the girl should
Inherit her entire estate. That would
be reward for present deprivation.
Some evil fortune aided Miss Tux
be- vy's plan. She had barely become |
in her luxurious room in.
The sanitarium, with. Drusilla near by, |
when servant brought to the place |
evidence of dreaded germ, and quar-
lntine was declared.
Aunt Tuxberry felt none of the ap-
of other guests.
Drusie, pale and sad-eyed, gazed |
down the road.
"Why, oh why did Jack not answer
Ter letters?"
"Absence had brought forgetful-
less" her aunt insisted.
''If Jack forgot" Drusilla felt des-
;erately that she could not bear her
onging heart ache.
"a telephone message at the office
rom your housekeeper," nurse in
ormed Miss Tuxberry.
asking some tiresome question:"
hat lady surmised.
"You answer it, Drusilla.'
But it was not the housekeeper's
dice which greeted Drusie's ears.
This is Jack" came decidedly over
he wire, "and I'm not going to stand
ny more of this hfde-and-seek. I'm
n my way to the sanitarium, be there
/ fifteen minutes ; look for runabout
the entrance"
"But-" walled Drusie.
mo butts" answered her impatient
,yer, and cut off connection. Evident
: Jack was ignorant concerning the
quarantine law. She would not be
ermitted to see him.
Across the Office couch before Dru- .
Has eyes was thrown the visiting
octor's auto coat.
Near the outer door, his face bent
yer a paper, was the quarantine
lard. Swiftly she slipped into the
)ctor's long coat, down over her ears
lme his soft felt hat. When she had
1justed the big gauntlets, Drusie
,ached with a smile for the Doctors
nall bag. She would rush across the
Ill in that frantically busy way Of
sand dare, escape.