FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161  
>>  
e encountered on the threshold of the inn by George Elgood, who for once seemed anxious to enter into conversation. "You have been to see your sister. Did she--er--was she well enough to send any message before we go?" "Oh, she's all right--quite quiet and sensible again, but doesn't bother herself much about what is going on. I told her you were off, but she didn't seem to take much notice. Expect she's so jolly thankful to feel comfortable again that she doesn't care for anything else." "Er--quite so, quite so!" repeated the Editor hastily; and Ron passed on his way, satisfied that he had been all that was tactful and considerate, and serenely unconscious that he had eclipsed the sun of that summer's day for two anxious hearts! There was little sleep for poor Margot that night, and in the morning Edith noticed with alarm the flushed cheeks and shining eyes which seemed to predict a return of the feverish symptoms. She drew down the blind and seated herself by the bedside, determined to guard the door and allow no visitors. The child had evidently had too much excitement the day before, and must now be kept absolutely quiet. But Margot tossed and fidgeted, and threw the clothes restlessly about, refusing to shut her eyes, and allow herself to be tucked up, as the elder sister lovingly advised. Her eyes were strained, and every now and then she lifted her head from the pillow with an anxious, listening movement. At last it came, the sound for which she had been waiting--the rumble of wheels, the clatter of horses' hoofs, the grunts and groans of the ostler as he lifted the heavy bags to their place. Margot's brown eyes looked up with a piteous entreaty. "They are going! You must be quick, Edie. Run down quickly and say good-bye!" "It isn't necessary, dear. I saw them before coming upstairs. Ron is there, and father." "But you must! I want you to go. Quickly, before it is too late. Edie, you _must_!" There was no denying so vehement a command. Edith turned silently away, confirmed in a growing suspicion, and yearning tenderly over the little sister's suffering. It was the younger brother, of course!--the tall, silent man, whose lips had been so dumb, whose eyes so eloquent, during the critical days of Margot's illness, and who had been the girl's companion on the misty moor. What had happened during those hours of suspense and danger? What barriers had been swept aside; what new vista
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161  
>>  



Top keywords:
Margot
 

anxious

 

sister

 

lifted

 

piteous

 
entreaty
 
quickly
 

wheels

 
clatter
 

horses


listening

 

rumble

 
waiting
 

movement

 
grunts
 

pillow

 
groans
 
ostler
 

looked

 

command


eloquent

 

critical

 

illness

 

brother

 

younger

 

silent

 

companion

 

barriers

 

danger

 

suspense


happened

 
suffering
 

upstairs

 

coming

 

father

 
Quickly
 

growing

 
confirmed
 

suspicion

 
yearning

tenderly
 

silently

 
denying
 
vehement
 

strained

 

turned

 
bedside
 

Expect

 
notice
 

thankful