The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-11-26
CEIAPT XIII.

AT times | hated myself as 4 method
zeal person. but ii did no good. l
was mcthodical, and from it there was
no escape. ! kept a diary. And each
night rs | made an entry, turned back
to the day Of the year before. In doing
so this night | read in the entry of the
previous year: Mr.. sidney made n
sudden and astonishing recovery OF
strength. lie walked about his room
without assistance aad was in Il high
degree Of animation"
recalled that night with the sharp
er interest because the entry | was
about TO make this night was substan-
TALLY if not precisely to the same ef-
feet. Mr.. Sidney had again revealed
an astonishing recovery of strength
and had displayed the greatest anilna-
ton. He had asked us to have our
dinner in his room. Il thing very sell
dom done, and he had been wonderful
as the majestic. courteous head of the
family, full Of humor and ~joviality.
Jed was an amiable sorvitor, han
tered by Mr.. Sidney from timcto time.
ISObelS animation was as infectious as
her fathers, hut Mrs. Sidney, l
thought, had a look OF apprehension
in her eyes which was something apart
from the pleasant smile on her face.
She seemed to find the occasion sig
nificant. and / wonder that | had TO
read my diary to be refreshed in mem
Ory.
When | had read it, I also saw the
significance. and turning the page in
the record OF the year before, ! read:
"Mr. Sidney is in n condition of eX-
hauStiol which might be called Il COM
plete and dangerous collapse. . .
Or. Drownell, summoned in alarm,
says that during his acquaintance with
the case this transition overnight from
extraordinary activity to exhaustion
has been nOtcd once every year and
at Approximately The same time Of the
year, If not precisely on the same
date"
The apprehension which Mrs. Sid
ney could not wholly conceal had this
good foundation. Mr.. Sidney wHS in
the periodic miracle Of renewed health
and strength. bat for whatever cause.
he would be found tomorrow mo~niAg
in q prcc&riOUs cOHd'tion Of weaNl'osS.
The event seemed 50 certain that !
thought IT best to acGuaint Or. Brow
nell that night Of the ~premuDitory
symptoms.
! decided TO telephone a message 70
Dr.. BroWnell's residence in the cry, to
be given to him Immediately if he were
awake or as SCOn as he arose III tie
morning. | did not want TO be ovrr
heard. by any chance. by any one. in
tclephoning this p~remonitory message.
and thought that the Office would be
my most Secure place.
The house was not yet in full DARK
ness when | came down the stairs 10
the main hail. 1t was lighted, and the
stairway leading directly to Mr.. sd
ncy's room was lighted. which indi-
Gated that Jed Was still with Mr.. SD
ncy.
The Office door never was locked. I
did not want jed laundering in Oh Tie
while I was telcphoning. He would he
along presently. | thought, and de-
cided to go out on the main porticO
until by the eXtinguishing Of the lights
| should know he was on his way to
bed.
was on my way to act on this plan
when the light in the stairway leading
to Mr.. Sidney's room was eXtinguished,
and l knew Jed was on his way down
stairs. | did not have time TO reach The
entrance. | doubted that | even hod
time to retrace my steps. | 1id not
want to meet jed. So J stepped into a
sort OF little %lOunging space Cff the
hall. which vas quite dark.
In a few minutes Jed went b., hum
ming, not singing. ! had expected him
to be very tipsy. considering the io-
vial mood of Mr.. Sidney ii had even
occurred 10 me hat once Il year. on 4
certain date-One to be conncmoratcd
Mr.. sidney joined Jed in the wine
and that this caused the relapse. Hut
jed was not drunk. his step was
steady.
CTO BE~CONTINUED)
N.. nN;nr, THAN