Show R d A n ach EA A ROMAN C E M av 4 19 a n XII continued shell a life has been so BO very un eventful during the absence that it does not take long to recount the few small incidents which have bicken its monotony it was so stupid of you to come remarks ruby during a brict pause in the dialogue going on between mrs biro wilden and shell I 1 I 1 don t suppose we shall any of us ua be stopping here more than a few days longer mrs nelden looks surprised how so eo I 1 have no intention of going home just yet ruby she says a little tartly the cottage la Is taken tor for two months montha and since the rent must be paid we may as well make the belt beit of our bargain there la Is no test about it grumbles violet no indeed it Is a snare and delusion agrees ruby since bivil ca n the Oh ampley brothers couldn coulden t stad it there can be no wonder it we run am a vi ay I 1 I 1 don t think they grew tired of the moor says shell honestly it if not why did they leave it de bands her ber sister defiantly cant say ie les ponda shell then after a pause bhe continues I 1 suppose you know that they are going abroad in a few days I 1 going abroad I 1 repents repeats ruby in a tone of positive consternation no I 1 had no idea of it I 1 understood that they were merely going back to champley house I 1 they are starting tor for switzerland in two or three days shall quiet ly an and d I 1 rather fancy they won t be back till autumn in that case ve me may as aa well stop m here we are observes ruby without her kausal caution I 1 my dear rub their movements cannot in ili any way affect ours says mrs lira wilden looking puzzled and a trifle shocked I 1 no of course not stan impre ruby with a ft 11 h only I 1 promised robert champley Cha ropley in a way to look after the childre childrens nl and since he is going abroad I 1 should not like to leave them alone on the moor that nur nurse as Is a very illiterate person 1 I 1 doubt it if she can write and ol of co coyse arso he will want to hear how bow they r on ahem I 1 ejaculates violet suggestively and then indulges in an amused laugh shell does not laugh bu but t turns with impatient step from the room CHAPTER XIII where are you going shell asks ruby glancing up front from an elaborate band of crewel work destined to trim a morning gown goan I 1 am going over ever to to superintend dob bob a donkey ride I 1 promised him esterday eat erday I 1 would come what folly 1 YOU know he Is never allowed a donkey ride unless he has been particularly good and when I 1 ask piper it be has been good enough to have one she invariably answell no shell gives one ot of those low rippling laughs ot of hers which has in it a mocking ring piper does not care tor for after donkeys doubtless she considers it infra dig As she bhe knows that I 1 always do the running business and leave her free I 1 larl ably hear that the children are deserving of a ride well its a bore any way vay grum erum bles blea ruby I 1 wanted you to cut out my collar and cuffs as I 1 feel inclined tor for a good days work that won wont t take five minutes laughs shell stripping off her wash leather gloves and good tempe setting betting to tle the task when some twenty minutes later she arrives at aarm she finds the children established in a hayfield near the house anil and riper nowhere visible where Is P iberl asks shell sink ing down in the fragrant hay bay busy 11 answers dob laconically have you been good children good enough for a donkey ride pursues shell smiling dont know ow responds bob with placid indifference s pose not piper boxed my ears this morning well never mind laughs shell since riper piper here we me can cant t ask herrou ber you shall have your donkey ride today and then be a good boy Lb tomorrow 1 dont want a donkey ride responds bob stolidly I 1 tell us ua a story stary instead I 1 not want a donkey alde why what sort of 0 a boy do you call your me ifal demands demanda shell the child round to laugh him out of what she bhe imagines to bo be a lit fit of the balks a ilka then she becomes aware that bob genei aily rosy fato fale fat o la Is palo and larI languid guld looking that his ahli bright merry eyes are dim and misty I 1 do you feel ill asks shell thinking that tho the child must have been atlow allow loea od to eat something unwholesome nono no no falters bob with all a boy a reluctance to give la in to physical suffering only my head bead aches ra rather tiller 11 with a strange thrill at her heart shell turns to meg the little girt girl Is sound asleele on a soft bed of 0 hay bay her attitude betokening thorough lassitude gao oa tat fat little urn jum bjelde her eyes tc 0 A 4 MU a 1 s aa ay iy iti i L from the light Reni removing it gently shell notes that poor meg Is wan as a s white may blossom even the slight movement mends bends a convulsive shiver through her little frame fraine shell la Is not one to waste time over speculations stooping down she bhe raises the sleeping child in her arms and telling dob bob to follow proceeds to the th I 1 farm at th the e door she Is met bi the farmers farmer B wife a kind motherly creaturo creature who takes in at a glance shells shell fi sign to be silent mounting to the children a room w which Is deserted she ehe undresses neg meg and lays her in her little cot A few minutes persuasion and the promise of a fairy tale soon induce dob bob to follow his slaters slater 13 example but shell has no need to cudgel her trains brains for the promised legend no sooner does B bobs head bead touch the pillow than he too sinks into a troubled tiou bled bleeg bleep descending to the big flagged kitchen shell holds a hurried consultation with the farmers farmer s wife the result of 0 which Is that a boy is tor for the nearest doctor whilst she Is waiting wailing his arrival piper turns up explaining that she has only just been down to the village tor for a few stamps she looks much taken aback when she hears of the children a illness and finds that she cannot pooh it after two houis waiting the doctor comes lie ile Js Is an elderly man genial reliable and fatherly shell and the mistress of the house accompany iny him to the sick room when the three return to the big kitchen there la is a scared look on 0 0 at least of tile tha faces all with that part of the house must be cut olt off mrs porn pom fret and a sheet with condy s fluid hung at the end of the passage I 1 A v ill telegraph at once to mr Chain champley pley it you can furnish me with his address piper 1001 ing scared and pale produces the address ad dresa and the doctor takes his dep departure depar a tuie the doctor Is not certain ceita ln 1 I answers shell in her low sweet voice but he be tears fears smallpox small pox it seems seema there are some cases in the neighborhood small smallpox poal F shrieks piper and am I 1 expected to stop here and lose m roy y we life through nursing children with small pox I 1 won wont t do it no not tor for queen victoria herself bersel fl shame upon you woman I 1 cries M mrs a pont f ret wrathfully I 1 do you mean to tell rne me you would mould hae baie the heart to go aw away ay and leave leava them poor little babies with their father away goodness knows where chere and their poor mother lying burled I 1 id d nurse em mi self and m welcome elcome only I 1 ive ve got my ow own n children to think of and I 1 cari calf t be running to and to bo the sick room with small email pox hanging banging about my clothes I 1 let who will ft nurse em I 1 won wont t remarks riper piper doggedly do you think I 1 would allow you flashes shell her bosom heaving with suppressed scorn and anger do you imagine tor for one moment that you are fit to be trusted to nurse them I 1 you are right miss agrees mrs lira pomfret Pom tret for she neglects them poor dears shameful for nursing I 1 wouldn t trust her with a sick cat 11 then turning to the nurse she continues loftily take your precious person out of this as soon as may be though whoa to attend to them children I 1 don t know don t trouble yourself about that mrs pomfret I 1 will take care of them till a cioper nurse is found says shell gently you mibs its catching dreadful catching remonstrates mrs lira I 1 only when people are afraid laughs shell shel I 1 I 1 don t teel feel in the least nervous about illness cause you haven t seen much opines kopines mrs pomfret with a sage there Is general consternation at corse cottage when shell arrives mith w ath her news I 1 small smallpox box are you quite sure he said sm am ill do ox x M t rips ruby w with it a shudder how ble du gut t surely it can t bo be small pox the children must have been vaccinated vaccina ted that la Is the strange point an aw aers era shell there Is no mark whatever t on megs arm a very faint one on bob a the doctor says he can caa t he be sure for another twenty tour four hours they ought to have bava been in bed two days ago they do nothing but shiver and shiver and eshher er what la is to be done asks ruby blankly and then a bright idea sug resting ethelf we must telegraph at once to london for an experienced nurse A and nd who la Is to auise them till she arrives riper piper ot of course I 1 has baa flow flom n by this time I 1 left her packing her box I 1 how dlvgi laceful ot of herl berl alloi however ever mrs pomfret must get some one to see to I 1 robert Chani pley told me that you had promised promis pil to see to during Ms his absence I 1 how flow utterly absurd and unpractical you are shell ot 01 cour course coure e I 1 am very sorry for the darling children but I 1 cant possibly risk such a catastrophe as small pox no one could expect le had it been anything elbe grandillo anything less I 1 would have gone to them myself it and they are to be left entirely to 0 o strangers with no familiar face beside them queries shell in her even I 1 bolce oice I 1 dont see tiny any other possible u ran gement since you have been foolish enough to let piper forsake her pout answers ruby with mith a sigh but I 1 see that some other arrangement la Is imperative sas shell decidedly it would be to too cruel and cowardly to leave them to stran strangers gerv it if you won t go and i emain with them ani the nurse arrives I 1 shall to be continued |