Nogales international., 1932-07-06
CHAPTER VII

manner, as he leaves her, suggests tHal MS
A0yS Now ~;a. GO ON WITH THE STORY.
CHAPTER VII
And then Miss Startling came home,
and, scared half out of her wits, Jenny
told her part of the truth-that there
had been gentleman to see Miss
Diana, and that ever since he went
away she had been ike this, crying
and sobbing, and would not be quiet.
81 told you nobody was to be allowed
In" the Creature said in cold anger.
However, the mischief is done. Stop
flowlng and go over to DR.. Rathbone's.
If he is not there, and I am sure he
will not be, leave a message and ask
him TO come over as soon as possible.
:. Stop bowling, do you hear?"
Jenny fed, with the sound of Diana's
bitter sobbing singing in her ears like
the cry of lost soul.
Dennis :. Dennis !. Dennis :. !"
It was late before Rathbone came
over to the cottage.
He walked into Diana's room and
stood looking down at her.
She was lying on her back, one thin
arm flung onto the pillow above her
head, her eyes staring up at the ceiling.
Rathbone spoke her name in a quiet
voice, and her gaze wandered down to
che level of his face and rested there.
"Well," he said with smile, "and
what have you been doing to your
self?"
Nothing" she said stonily. "It's
what people do to me-"
"Oh. it's like that, is it,"
He sat down beside her and took her
hand-her pulse was terribly weak.
After a moment he laid it gently down
on the quilt.
"Have you been asleep?"
81 had draught didn't want it,
but she made me" She shot look OF |
bitter enmity at the Creature.
THAT was quite right" Rathbone
said.
He spoke to the Creature.
81 will come down in a moment" he
said, dismissing her.
She went away, and Rathbone stood
looking at Diana.
He had merely tried to rouse her
when he had suggested that perhaps
she was not worth saving. He under
stood her we'll enough to know how
her pride and interest would be stung,
but now, as he looked at her deathly
face and obstinately closed lips, ne
wondered.
He said quietly, "Open your eyes,
please, and listen to what l have to
say"
To his surprise she obeyed at once:
''If you are going to lecture me-
she began, and he interrupted ruth
lessly:
THAT is exactly what I am going
to do. If you had obeyed my orders
and behaved like sensible girl instead
of like silly, wilful child, by this
time you would have been we'll on the
road to recovery, but as it is, by your
folly this afternoon you have put your
self back considerably, and believe me
no man in this world is worth it"
She said breathlessly:
"You don't know anything about il. "
"And | don't wish to-" he said. But
I give you warning now that unless
you give me your word that in future
you will do exactly as have told you
shall write to Mrs. Gladwyn and tell
her | must give up the case. | have
dozens of really sick people on my
hands without wasting valuable time
on one who could soon be well and
strong if she wished. Do you under
stand?"
She said with trembling lips:
''You are not very kind. shall die
If you give me up"
"Very we'll, then. there is to be no
more nonsense"
mo" she whispered.
"And you will go to sleep and be-
Iieve that everything will come right
In the end. It so often does, you
know"
"Not for me-"
''Well, we shall see." He bent over
her, feeling her pulse once more. Her
eyes had closed as if the lids we're too
heavy to control, and he waited for a
moment, a gleam of anxiety in his eyes,
but she did not stir, and he went quiet
ly from the room.
my aunt wants to take me to AK"
Diana told Miss Startling the next
morning, as soon as she had opened
a letter that had arrived by the early
post.
The Creature raised her brows. :