Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-04-08
FIFTH INSTALMENT
CHAPTER VII

Diana, and that ever since he went
away she had been like this, crying
and sobbing, and would not be quiet.
Il told you nobody was to be allow
ed ill.," the Creature said in c:old an
ger. However, the mischief is done.
Stop bowling and go over t DR.. Rath-
bones. If he is not there, and l 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 fled, with the sound of Di-
ana's bitter sobbing singing in her ears
like the cry of a lost soul.
dennis -. Dennis -. Dennis 49,"
1t 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 cell
ing.
Rathbone spoke her name in a quiet
voice, and her gaze wandered down to
the level of his face and rested there.
SWELL" he said with a smile, "and
what have you been doing to your
self?"
Nothing" she said s%tonily. cts
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?"
II had a draught. I didn't want it,
but she made me-" She shot a look of
bitter enmity at the Creature.
THAT was quite right" Rathbone
He spoke t. the Creature.
II will come down in a moment y
he said, dismissing her.
She went away, and Rathbone stood
looking at Diana.
He had merely tried TO rous her
when he had suggested that perhaps
she was not worth saving, He under
stood her well enough to know how
her pride and interest would be stung,
but now, as he looked at her deathly
face and obstinately closed lips, he
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 l am going
to do. If you had obeyed my orders
and behaved like a sensible girl instead
of like a 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
yourself back considerably, and be-
lieve me-no man in this world is
worth it."
She said breathlessly:
"You don't know anything about
it."
"And l don't wish to-" he said. "But
l give you warning now that unless
you give me your word that in future
you will do exactly as l have told you
shall write to Mrs. Gladwyn and tell
her | must give up the case. l have
dozens of really sick people on my
hands without wasting valuable time
on one who could soon be we'll and
strong if she wished. Do you under
stand?"
She said with trembling lips:
"You are not very kind. I shall die
if you give me up"
Every we'll, then, there is to be no
more nonsense"
mo-, she whispered.
And you will go to sleep and be-
lieve that everything will come right
in the end. 1t so often does, you
know"
mot for me-"
"Well, we shall see." He bent over
her, feeling her pulse once more. Her
eyes had closed as if the lids were too
heavy t o control, and he waited for a
moment, a gleam of anxiety in his
eyes, but she did not stir, and lie went
quietly 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.
"Oh, indeed. We must see what DR..
Rathbone has to say about that"
HES said it already: he said /
wasn't fit for the journey. l hate AK,
ANYWAY; people there think of MOTH