FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>  
hat I didn't insist, and now--" "Is there any danger?" "If this heat would let up a little, I think there would be no doubt but that we could pull him through. But--Tabitha ought to have some help for her own sake." Poor Tom! He could see that the little sister was weakening, and he was doing all in his power to lighten her load, but he could not help her in her ceaseless watching which was telling so fearfully on her strength. In an agony of anguish and despair he slipped out to the back steps and sat heavily down in the shade of the house, dropping his hot head on his arms and two stinging tears coursing down his cheeks. "I beg your pardon, but isn't this where Mr. Catt lives?" The voice spoke directly at his elbow, and Tom, so much absorbed in his unhappy thoughts that he had not heard the approaching footsteps, looked up in surprise to see a tall, well-dressed, refined-looking stranger on the lower step. "Yes, sir." "May I see him?" "He is very sick--hurt--and doesn't know anyone. We can't allow folks to see him." "I understood that he was seriously injured and that you needed someone to help care for him. I--" "We are in need of help," Tom interrupted; "but he won't let anyone wait on him but my sister." "He will me." The man spoke with such confidence that again Tom looked his surprise. "The little girl is all tired out. Take me to your father. Oh, it is all right! I have Dr. Vane's sanction. Besides--well, I may as well tell you now. I am the 'hermit of the hills' whom Tabitha saved from burning to death more than a year ago. I was your father's partner once and his dearest friend; but I proved false to my trust. I cheated him out of his share in some valuable property--wrecked his whole life. Take me to him and don't fear the consequences." Tom rose quickly. "Come inside. Tabitha is with him now." He led the unexpected guest to the little room where the sick man lay tossing and muttering in the delirium of fever. "Why didn't you put ice in that water?" he was saying querulously. "If you are bound to feed me boiled water, I want it cold." Patient little Tabitha sighed wearily and turned toward the kitchen with the rejected glass on the tray, just as the hermit paused on the threshold. "Here is a glass of ice-water, Lynne," said the stranger, taking the tumbler from the girl's hand. "Drink this and go to sleep." "Why, hello, Decker!" exclaimed the patient, with a gleam of in
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>  



Top keywords:

Tabitha

 

father

 
stranger
 

surprise

 

looked

 
hermit
 

sister

 
taking
 
burning
 

partner


threshold
 

tumbler

 

Decker

 

exclaimed

 

patient

 

dearest

 

sanction

 

Besides

 

confidence

 
rejected

delirium
 

tossing

 

muttering

 
kitchen
 
querulously
 

turned

 

Patient

 
sighed
 

boiled

 

property


wrecked
 

valuable

 

proved

 
wearily
 

cheated

 

paused

 

inside

 

unexpected

 

quickly

 
consequences

friend

 
anguish
 

despair

 
slipped
 
strength
 

watching

 
telling
 

fearfully

 

stinging

 
dropping