Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-03-01
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

HOUR AFTER hour Iona sat
there waiting outside her fathers
door in the prison hospital. wait
ing for the moment when he should
know her. Around her went on the
grim routine Of the place. She
heard the changing Of bells in the
prison yard outside. Now and then
there came to her ears the sound of
dragging feet in the semblance of
a march. There were bars at every
window, bars that seemed to keep
out the very sunshine that must,
by now. be beating down with the
full vigor Of the summer day.
Prison gray was on every figure
she caught sight Of; even the noon
day meal she could scarcely choke
down through her dry throat was
brought to her by shadowy figure
in the eternal gray.
Twice during that interminable
day they allowed her to tip-toe
back into the box-like room where
her fathers wasted figure still la
bored on the narrow bed. He took
no notice Of her presence either
time. His weak voice seemed ever
weaker, and his rambling words
were mumbled through the hard
ness Of his breathing.
1.-THE crisis will come tonight"
the doctor told her, shaking, his
head. We'll keep you on CALL"
"He's got to know me-" she told
him desperately. "He can't die
without knowing I'm herew
BY nightfall she hated the place.
Hated it with an unreasoning,
hunted hatred that made her shud-
der as she thought Of the thou
sands Of men shut up like beasts
behind these gray unyielding walls.
barred forever, some of them, from
the sun and the rain and the
stars. The very air seemed to stifle
her, and the sight of the bars on
the windows burned into her brain.
The lights had flashed on and the
noises of the day had quieted into
a semblance Of peace when the
warden came to her again, his
kindly face plying, and his eyes
concerned.
"You must have a rest, miss"
he ordered her in his courtly way.
"A walk in the air. Mrs. Lewis sent
me to bring you over to the house. !"
"But I can't leave! He might
want me any time, now" She ap-
pealed to the nurse. "He might
wake up and-know me-"
The nurse shook her head. It'll
he hours yet before he can possibly
know you. I'd go if were YOU"
"But what if he should-die ?"'
"He won't. Well send for you at
the first sign you're needed"
"Come, miss" The warden was
helping her to her feet with a
kindly hand beneath her elbow.
"Warden's orders" He smiled, and
she remembered he was accus-
toned to being obeyed.
'It would do me good to get
some air." she conceded,
Outside, the grim walks stretched
from gray stone building to gray
stone building. Deserted now, they
seemed more like the patiently
Handicapped paths Of a spinster's
garden than what they were. The
toll Of countless unwilling hands
showed in every flower bed, every
velvety stretch of lawn. Pride she
found 1t difficult to understand was
in the warden's voice as he pointed
out his own private bed Of flower
ing gladioi f1anking the high win
dows Of the home where he lived
with his wife. Tall and straight,
each slender, blossom-laden spire
lifted its length regally toward the
patch Of sky hemmed in by the
monotonous gray walls.
They brought a sob choking from
Lona's throat, those gladioli. Daddy
had loved them so, at home. In the
center of the bed, she saw them,
ring of deep blue, the sort he had
especially cultivated in the old
days. his own particular brand, and
she turned to the warden with a
question in her eyes. :
He nodded. comprenending. He