New Britain herald., 1922-09-11
How Allen Drake Helped Madgc Pass
 Through Her Ordeal

The kitchen door opened and from 1t came little procession. The sight Of an unconscious person always up- sets me nerVously try as l will to con- trol myself. but there was something about the limp figure Of Tom Chester which made my pulses constrict with fear and pity.
 The stalwart operative, Mrnson, had the bulk of young Chester's weight in his arms, He gave the im- pression of being able to carry the young man by himself, but l knew that Allen Drake had wished the min imum of jar, and accordingly had made 1t a three man job instead. My father was at the young soldiers feet. Munson's stalwart arms were be- heath the torso and hips while Allen Drake supported the shoulders and head.
 l started forward as they emerged from the kitchen. and Allen Drake, who came last, put his foot back, and with delft movement kicked the kitchen door shut. I remembered what he had said about the kitchen.
 
 Put your hands underneath his head, Mrs. Graham" Allen Drake di- rected crisply as I came up to them. Here, where this one of mine is. That's right. Now I can manage him better. Are you surefooted? Can you go upstairs backward ?"
 Yes" l was forced to make my answer laconic. My throat was so stiff that I could not have brought another syllable out.
 Good - Mir. Drake rejoined T want to keep his head higher than his body. There will hardly be any weight upon you. Your job will be keeping steady, that's all.'
 But I found that keeping steady was a mans-size job in itself, while MT. Drake certainly underestimated the weight which would come upon me. At every step I felt as if the whole weight of the unconscious man had settled into my hands cupped be- meath his head, and when I finally reached the top of the stairs I could have described my mental and physi- cal condition only in Mrs. Ticev's homely phrase, Ready to drop"
 q Don't Mind You"
 l walked steadily down the hall | with the rest, however, but I was glad | indeed when-as we settled the limp pathetic figure of young Mir. Chster upon the bed-Allen Drake dismissed | me.
 You came through that splendidly, Mrs Graham he said perfunctorily, his eyes upon Tom Chester's uncon- scious face. And now you can get | away to Katie if she needs you. We | must get this boy undressed and h.,o | bed. Let me see. Is there everything we need here?"
 H ran a practiced eye over the room, lingering a second upon the | table drawn up by the bed.
 T must congratulate you and Mrs | he said Everything is complete"
 He stepped to the door, held il open for me, and sped down the hall to Kati's room, with the guilty con- sciousness that I had not once thought of my poor little maid since I had left her.
 I listened at her door for sec ond, heard nothing but the girls heavy breathing, modified by a curl ous whistling sound which I judged to be the result of the choking she had received at the hands of Smith. I turned the key in the door we had locked behind us to keep her from nervous fears, and opening it softly, peeped in.
 was surprised to see that Katie, with the traces of frightened tears upon her face, was fast asleep He, mouth was open and she was breath- Ing with some difficulty. but I saw that because of her utter exhaustion she in all probability would not waken for hours. I was free to go to the