Emmons County record., 1920-02-05
Claire swooned at My Feet.

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Claire swooned at My Feet.
running to the bathroom for the water
to revive her, as twenty-four hours
previous I'd run for water to assuage
the ammoniacal agonies of her dear
papa.
Billy was on his knees. From under
one protruded the note that had
caused the damage. I went down on
my knees and applied the wet towel.
Billy fished forth the note and with
out compunction read it aloud.
My child: ct was in French) Return to
the hotel Immediately. Ask Mr.. Rivers to
escort you. VOTRE PERE.
Nothing very nerve-shattering and not
word about her mother; so evident
~ she'd been expecting something and
this had keeled her over on general
principles.
"what was in yours?" demanded
Billy.
I reached out and got 1t off the ia
BILE where I'd thrown it and gave it
to him. Nothing about her mother"
said I. "This getting her away is just
a dodge to see me alone"
"You're not going tot" Billy ex-
claimed, with some dismay.
I sopped at Claire's face and an.
swered: II don't know-it depends
on how soon he comes"
II wOuldn't-it isn't safe for you"
"You come here the very first thing
in the morning, and If l don't answer
your ring"
Claire just then stirred, and we
thought she was coming to, but she
relapsed again, and Billy doubled up
his fists and made motion toward the
front door, indicating that If didn't
answer he would break it in.
"That's it-and the very first thing
in the morning. I don't know what
else to do-and-" leaned over Claire
anxiously, and whispered to myself
rather than Billy: "This is pretty
bad"
"Where's that ammonia?' he de-
manded, making wry face and adding
in whisper: "Do you suppose she
knowsw
"Of course not" I retorted. "You
don't suppose he was such fool as
to tell his own child how we done him
last night! It's in the kitchen, where
we left it."
"Well, she'll never know from me
and hope she'll never know from
you," admonished Billy, rising from his
knees and searching my face for the
assurance.
I responded with something very
like glare-Billy was really taking
quite a bit on himself just then-I
hope I knew without being told by a
boy who went to school to me what
the common decencies of the case
were! But all I said was: "Please
get it."
A few drops of ammonia on the tow
ell and she gasped. Then she MUIR
INJURED: "Oh, mamma" in tragic &C.
cents, and relapsed again. was
about to send Billy to the nearest doc
tor he could get in captivity, when the
bell rang-George wanted to know
when the young lady would be ready
-"the shutters waitin' an he's in a
hurry"
Billy-who answered the ring
snapped out: ''Let him wait-it's
what he's paid for. Go down and tell
hi,,, rx,oSro noun}nnO
He slammed the door, for a moment
forgetting Claire. ana she started up
at the noise with her cry: "Oh. man.
mai" and then seeing me: "Oh, you ~
"Yes-Tm here," I soothed, and
thought she was going off again and
gave her good smart swat with the
towel and good sharp, "Claire!"
In spite Of our assurances, it was a
good half-hour before she was any
thing like all right and we got a CO.
herent account from her and found
she only thought something had hap
pened to- her mother. It was full
three-quarters Of an hour before she
was ready to leave.
was more than half-minded to go
with her, and but for monsieur's explic-
it note-which I read again after
Claire came to her senses-I should
not have let her go off that way, even
with Billy, though I knew that 50 far
as devoted perfect care went, he'd give
it to her as well as !. More accepta-
bly,. mayhaul
(Coarmued next weekly