Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-06-17

l suppose she,s-ail right?" she
asked uncertainty.
oh, yes, madam-just sleeping
heavily" Anna said quickly, with a
faint feeling Of discomfort as she re-
membered that once in the past she
had been severely admonished for adj
ministering a sleeping draught to Di-
ana without doctors, orders.
Mrs Gladwyn sighed.
'She looks very like her MOTHER"
she said. And her mother died when
she was quite a girl" She pulled her
self together and took up her gloves
and handbag. II should let her sleep
it out" she said vaguely. ut will prob
ably do her a lot of good"
When she had gone Anna quietly
replenished the fire and went back to
take another look at Diana.
She was very pale-even her lips
and hair seemed colourless; and in sud-.
den alarm Anna laid a hand on Di-
ana's arm.
1t was icy cold.
For a moment she stood petrified
with fear; then she turned and ran
from the room.
Miss Diana is ill-you must fetch
a doctor at once. Run down and see
if Mrs. Gladwyn has gone. If not,
bring her back quickly"
The girl ran, returning breathless-
ly.
THE car has just driven away"
But Anna was not the sort to lose
her head in a moment of emergency.
"Tell Markham to call a taxi and to
go at once for DR.. Rathbone-I'H
give him the address,"
She had made a mental note Of it
yesterday morning when she Dispatch
ed Diana's letter to him, and know
ing that Rathbone had attended Di-
ana during her Illness, she thought he
was the most suitable one to sum-
mon.
To expedite matters, she went down
to interview Markham herself.
But Annals evident anxiety whip
ped him to swifter action.
eff DR.. Rathbone is there, bring
him back with you. If he is not There's,
bring the first doctor you can find,
but don't come back without some
one, Oh lit will be the worse for you."
She ran back to Diana and pulled
the curtains, opening both windows
wide.
The fog was not quite SO bad, one
could see the lights in the street below
now, like bleary yellow eyes, staring
upwards.
As Anna turned away her glance
fell on the bottle she had left on the
dressing table.
She, caught it up, holding it to the
then her face whitened, for it
was nearly empty.
Anna permitted herself the luxury
of one moments emotion.
"Oh, poor lamb!" she said plying |
ly.
She knew a great deal more about
Diana than the girl had ever dream
ed-knew all about the affair with
Waterman, and understood that it had
with Diana's illness, on his side,
at all events, but she had never been
able to make up her mind with re-
gard to Diana-until now, when she
believed that the girl had done this
deliberately in a m of over
wretchedness.
She lifted her gently, laying her
flat on her back, and began to chafe
her cold hands.
Anna had only seen Rathbone once,
when Mrs. Gladwyn had sent for him
the girls breakdown; but she
had been impressed by his personal
and quiet strength, and she found
herself almost praying (though Anna
prayer "old-fashioned rub
,ish") that he would come.
She had always been rather con-
7emptuous of Diana's weakness, real
ling how easily, during her short life,
he girl had allowed herself to be
banded about, the victim first Of one
md then of another, in the vain, un-
;atisfying search for something real
md lasting, but there was only pity
her heart now as she tried by every
means in her power to rouse Diana
rom her dreadful Inconsistencies.
One of the maids came presently,
scared eyes, to know if she could
10 anything to help, but Anna shook
Ter head. She would not admit it, but
he believed the time was already past
when anyone could help Diana.
Hasn't Markham come back yet?"
he asked.
mot yet :. I think that's a taxi
low.