The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-06-15
CHAPTER Xiv

| Gnot SHS sNou'u NV " 80
bed. 1t was still dark and death,
lily quiet. sThe wind had ceased
to- moan through the trees and
the snow to flutter against the
Windows. ! In the stiffness she
missed something-the audible
breathing of her husband. 49,.
| That frightened her and she
slid from the couch and went
| into the bedroom. Bill was gone
but the bed had been slept in and
Bills work clothes were missing
She looked at the clock and saw
that it was almost six. He must
be outside, attending to the cat
tile. 10 ,...
While she was dressing there
was a knock at the door. ats
Miss Perkins. Are you awake
Mr.. Siddal?" .. .
Donna opened the door. "My
husband has gone out" she said
"What is it,"
"Your grandfather is breath,
ing strangely. I cant rouse him
think we had better send fol
the DOCTOR"
Telephone him." Donna SAID
with a catch in her throat. "I'l
dress as quickly as | can. Mr.
Siddal must be out in the stab
les. I'll see if / can find him.
She left the door open and
she heard the nurse going down
the stairs. heard her voice as she
called for DR.. Freeman. If
Grandfather was dying and the
will wasn't changedl If he left
everything to Madeline it meant
Bill would be cheated out of
what was rightfullv his and the
man who had no right to all
these acres would be heir to
them. More than that, Donna
herself would be dragged into
court, to be proven a cheat and
a fraud. .....-..--.. ...- ......- .....-- -
/ ooh, God, don't let Grand,
father die" she prayed. "Not
yet any way! No matter what
happens to me, don't let Bill be
cheated"
Miss Perkins was back in the
sick room when Donna reached
the lower floor. 81 got Dr.
Freeman on the phone," she whis-
pered, "but it will take him an
hour to get here. He (nodding
toward the motionless figure on
the bed) 'is just the same. 1t
looks like coma to me-"
Donna pressed her hand against
her mouth and battled with the
sobs that rose in her throat. ~
wonder if DR.. Freeman has a
sleigh? If he hasn't he can new
CT make it out here in the snow
Telephone him again, please, and
find out. If he hasn't a sleigh
I'll send Bill after him."
q She bent over the old man
long enough to whisper his name
and to realize that it was useless
to try to get him to speak. Then
she wrapped heavy shawl about
herself and ran out of the house
towards the barn. She called
Bills name several times but re-
ceived no answer. The path, cut
through the drifts, and the cows.
munching peacefully in til C i T.
stalls, Informed her that Bill
had completed his chores though
he was no place to be seen.
Bewildered, anxious, she re-
turned to the house. In the
kitchen Minnie was getting
breakfast. "Miss Perkins asked
l should make her some coffee.
Grandpa Siddal is worse" she
said.
Yes. Has my husband come
in?" s
"No. And there's no milk. He
must be milking the cows"
mo, he isn't. Give me some
coffee, Minnie. I'm going af-
ter DR.. Freeman. NY husband
must he somewhere on the farm
but we can't wait for him."
She swallowed the coffee so
hot it burned her throat but she
did not feel the pain. Her
thoughts were leaping from one
tragic event to another. 1t was
ominous that Bill was not to be
found. Grandfather was unques-
tionable sinking. He had, never
been like this. If he died before
she could get assistance, and in
Bills absence, she would feel like
9 murderer.
! When. she discovered that the
bobsledi, was. gone she was stun
ned. Bill must have gone to
town before. 6 o'clock. That
could mean but one thing--he
had learned of, her meeting with
Con David, b Somehow Mrs. Plan
ter had gotten in touch with
him, and, the word of a malici-
ons gossip bad borne bitter fruit
That accounted for Bills attitude
] the night before. That was why
he. had trieksd her into lie;
and that lie had been her ruin
He would see Con and Con would
tell, him, the, truth! Now Grand
father was dying and Bill was
with : her enemy ~ @aG
Standing there in the 4 snow,
she wrunk hen, hands and ,sobbed
bitterly, But it was only a short
time before she regained control
of herself. DR.. Freeman must
be telephoned again. s..
Il
| Donna wjped her, wet cheeks