FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189  
190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   >>  
th was undoubtedly a contributary cause. With proper medical attention she may recover from this attack--partially, at least. She should be removed to a good hospital, or a trained nurse placed in charge of the case here. That will be expensive. Do you know whether the family can afford--" "The family can afford anything she needs, anything that will give her a chance," Lance told him brusquely. "She will probably be an invalid as long as she lives," the doctor went on. "She will be a great care. Are there any relatives, other than the girl? It's a tremendous burden to fall on her shoulders, Mr. Lorrigan." "The burden," said Lance, "will not fall on her shoulders. I don't mind telling you that Miss Douglas and I will be married very soon. As soon as possible." The doctor brightened visibly. "Congratulations, Mr. Lorrigan! I should strongly advise you, then, to have the old lady removed to a nice, quiet hospital. You will not want the care of her--young people should not be handicapped in that way. I can make the necessary arrangements. She should not be subjected to the discomforts of the journey just at present--it's a long way by team, and a long way by train. I should like to have her as quiet as possible for a few days, at least." "We'll look after that," said Lance, and hurried in to tell Mary Hope that her mother was not going to die, and that Belle was coming--he could hear the rattle of the buckboard. "I don't know what mother will say," Mary Hope began, and stopped and hid her eyes behind her hands. Her mother, poor soul, could not say anything. It seemed terrible to Mary Hope that her mother must lie there and endure the presence of the painted Jezebel in her home, and be unable to utter one word of denunciation, one bitter reproach. It was like a judgment; and she could not bear the thought that her mother must suffer it. A judgment, or treachery on her part,--the terrible treason of a child betraying her mother. "It's all right, girl; you don't _know_ our Belle. We'll just leave it to her. She'll find a way. And I'll go out now and tell her all about it, and leave her to manage." "I'll go," Mary Hope decided unexpectedly. "I have things to say--you shall not go, Lance Lorrigan. You will please let me see her alone--first. I'm that afraid of Belle Lorrigan I could creep under the table and hide! And so I shall go alone to her." Lance surrendered, and rolled a cigarette and smoked it in th
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189  
190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   >>  



Top keywords:

mother

 

Lorrigan

 

judgment

 

terrible

 
burden
 
shoulders
 

doctor

 

hospital

 

afford

 

family


removed
 

coming

 
Jezebel
 
painted
 

presence

 
endure
 

stopped

 

rattle

 
buckboard
 
treachery

decided

 

unexpectedly

 
things
 

afraid

 
rolled
 
cigarette
 

smoked

 
surrendered
 
manage
 

thought


suffer
 
reproach
 

bitter

 

denunciation

 

treason

 

betraying

 

unable

 

chance

 

expensive

 

invalid


brusquely
 

charge

 

medical

 
attention
 
proper
 

undoubtedly

 

contributary

 

recover

 

trained

 
partially