Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-01-06
TELL Bill GOODBYE 1z>ES S;
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/ :. WRITTEN FOR AND RELEASED BY
] CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER FORTY.FOIJR


CHRIS HAD fallen back on her
pillows. In a thin voice she SAID,
Have you got a hot water bag !?
My feet are terribly cold"
Fabienne went over TO the cot
and put her hand on Chris brow. 1t
was burning to touch and Chris
eyes, turned 10 her with helpless
pleading. were alarnlingly bright.
Fabienne pulled the Nlankets closer
about her throat and told her to be
patient.
In the kitchen, she round a large
dishpan and a can of mustard. It
would take a long time to melt
snow and heat it. but mustard
foot bath was the only remedy Fa-
bienne could think of in her des-
perate necessity.
It took nearly an hour to heat
the water to the right temperature
over the CRATE Fabienne had made
out of some strips of pipe, which
fortunately did not melt as she
feared they would, and which rest
ed on a structure of bricks.
Chris had fallen asleep during
the process, and when Fabienne
Weakened her and told her to put
her feet in the steaming bath, she
leaned her weight against Fa-
bienne, too i'll to know what she
was doing.
When Fabienne would have her
take little hot soup, she turned
her head away like a petulant child
and closed her eyes. falling back
into feverish sleep.
When she'd bathed Chris face
with snow and disposed of the
footbath, she turned to Sonny.
Nov then, my good little angel,
we have to do something about
YOU"
Children had to be bathed, fed
and giver something to amuse
themselves. Fabienne knew how to
read to children and play their lit
tie games, but that was very diff
ferent from finding herself in full
charge of a kidnapped four-year-
old convalescent whose mother was
unable to offer so much as a sug-
gestion about the necessary pro-
ceedure.
Fabienne washed Sonny's face
and hands and gave him an old
magazine and some chunks of
wood to play with. She had not
called him an angel Cor no good
reason. He WAS an angel.
All that endless, miserable day
when Fabienne spent the hours al
ternating between a worried watch
beside Chris bed and the radio,
which she had placed in the kitchen
so as not to disturb the sick girl,
Sonny played by himself and went
off to a nap as easily as if he had
been in his little hospital cot. Oh,
how Fabienne wished he were still
there!
At noon she ate half a box O.;
stale crackers and a bowl of soup
and, feeling heartened by the food,
and seeing Christine asleep, she
put on her coat and hat and went
out into the road to take her bear
ings.
The state road was only half a
mile to the east and in that direc-
ton she started walking over the
deep snow. Time and time again
she sank into ruts, feeling the cold
wet as high as her knees. She
couldn't see far enough ahead Of
her to know if there vas a house
anywhere about. No vehicle had
passed Bills house all that Gay.
At last realizing the further
dangers of their predicament if she
should get a chill like Chris, she
turned back.
She looked up at the sky and felt
that she could touch it. Surely it
must be Just beyond her head. The
white blanket was so thick. 1t was
warm on her face and she put out
her tongue to feel it. The taste was
salt. Fabienne was crying helpless
ly. It was her tears she tasted.
Hastily, she wiped away the tears
and Strengthened her shoulders as