The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1924-03-14

i~nconvenient! When did you do that?'
"This morning"
How did it happen?"
Eustace hesitated.
II was jumping"
"Jumpingl But-oh!" Mrs. Hig.
nett's sentence trailed off into a sup
pressed shrek, as the door opened.
Immediately following on Eustace's
accident, Jane Hubbard had consti.
tuted herself his nurse. 1t was she
who had bound up his injured ankle
In d manner which the doctor on his
arrival had admitted himself unable
to improve upon. She had sat with
him through the long afternoon. And
now, fearing lest a return of the pain
might render him sleepless, she had
come to bring him a selection of
books to see him through the night.
Jane Hubbard was q girl who by ma
ture and training was we'll adapted ia
bear shocks. She accepted the advent
Of Mrs. Hignett without visible aston.
ishment, though inwardly she was
wondering who the visitor might be.
Good evening" she said piacidly.
Mrs. Hignett, having rallied from
her moment Of weakness, glared at the
new arrival dumbly. She could not
place Jane. She had the air OF a
nurse, and yet she wore no uniform.
"Who are your she asked stifiy.
"Who are your" countered Jane.
IT," said Mrs. Hignett portentously,
"am the owner OF this house, and
should be glad to know what you are
doing In II. am Mrs. Horace Hlg-
nett"
A charming smile spread itself over
James finely cut face.
"Im so glad to meet you," she said.
II have heard so much about you"
~"Indeedf" said Mrs. Hignett. "And
now l should like to hear a little about
you"
I've read all your books" said Jane.
II think they're wonderful"
In spite OF herself, In spite Of q feel
Ing that this young woman was stray
Ing from the point, Mrs. Hignett could
not check a slight influx Of amiability.
She was an authoress who received a
good deal Of incense from admirers,
but she could always do with a bit
more. Besides, most of the incense
came by mail. Living a quiet and re-
tired life In the country, 1t was rarely
that she gotA handSa to her face to
face. She melted quite perceptibly.
She did not cease to look like a basil
lisk, but she began to look like a basil
lisk who has had a good lunch.
my favorite," said Jane, who for a
week had been sitting daily In a chair
In the drawing room adjoining the
table on which the authoress' complete
works were assembled. lis The Spread
ing Light I do like The Spreading
Light!
1T was written some years ago."
said Mrs. Hignett with something APP
preaching. cordiality, land I have since
revised some Of the views / state In 1t,
but still consider II quite a good text
book"
"Of course, l can see that What
Of the Morrow Is more profound"
said Jane. But I read The Spread
ing Light first, and OF course that
makes a difference.
II can quite see that 1t would"
agreed Mrs. Hignett. "One's first step
across the threshold of a new mind,
ones first glimpse :"
Yes. IL makes Won feel
Like some watcher Of the SKIES"
said Mrs. Hignett, when a new planet
swims into his ken. or like :"
"Yes. doesn't IT." said Jane.
Eustace. who had been listening to
the conversation with every muscle
tense, In much the same mental atti-
tude as that Of a peaceful citizen In a
Wild West saloon who holds himself
in readiness to dive under a table d.
rectly the shooting begins, began to
relax. What he had shrinkingly antici-
pate1 would be the biggest thing since
the Dempsey-C Carpenter fight seemed
10 be turning into a pleasant social
aud literary evening not unlike what
he imagined a meeting Of old vassar
alumnae must be- For the first time
since his mother had come into the
room he INDUCED In the luxury Of a
deep breath.
"Dut what are you doing hereT"
as.ed Mrs. Hignett, returning almost
reluctantly to the main issue.
Eustace perceived that he had
breathed too soon. In an unobtrusive
way he subsidized into the bed and
pulled the sheets over his head, fol-
lowing the excellent tactics of the
great duke Of Wellington In his PENN
sular campaign. "When in doubt" the
duke used to say. retire and dig your
self in"
I'm nursing dear Eustace." said
lane.
Mrs. Hignett ~quivered. and cast an
eye on the hump In the bedclothes
which represented dear Eustace. A
cold fear had come upon her.
dear Eustace'!" she repeated me-
~chanically.
Were engaged" said Jane. eve