Christian fiction; City and town life -- Fiction; Clergy -- Fiction; Ozark Mountains -- Fiction
Except to answer their direct questions the sick girl had spoken no
word, but lay motionless--her face turned toward the wall. Several
times the nurse tried gently to arouse her, but save for a puzzled,
half-frightened, half-defiant look in the wide-open eyes, there was no
response, though she took her medicine obediently. But when Miss Farwell
after bathing the girl's face, and brushing and braiding her hair,
dressed her in a clean, white gown, the frightened defiant look gave
place to one of wondering gratitude, and a little later she seemed to
sleep.
She was still sleeping when Miss Farwell, who was standing by the window
watching a group of negro children playing ball in the square, saw a man
approaching the group from the direction of the village. The young
woman's face flushed as she recognized the unmistakable figure of the
minister.
Then an angry light shone in the gray eyes, and she drew back with a low
exclamation. As in evident answer to his question, a half dozen hands
were pointed toward the window where she stood. Watching, she saw him
coming toward the building.
His purpose was clear. What should she do? Her first angry impulse was
to refuse to admit him. What right had he to attempt to see her after her
so positive dismissal? Then she thought--perhaps he was coming to see the
sick girl. What right had she to refuse to admit him, when it could in no
way harm her patient? The room, after all, was the home of the young
woman on the bed--the nurse was only there in her professional capacity.
Miss Farwell began to feel that she was playing a part in a mighty drama;
that the cue had been given for the entrance of another actor. She had
nothing to do with the play save to act well her part. It was not for her
to arrange the lines or manage the parts of the other players. The
feeling possessed her that, indeed, she had somewhere rehearsed the scene
many times before. Stepping quickly to the bed she saw that her patient
was still apparently sleeping. Then she stood trembling, listening to the
step in the hall as Dan approached.
He knocked the second time before she could summon strength to cross the
room and open the door.
"May I come in?" he asked hat in hand.
At his words--the same that he had spoken a few hours before in the
garden--the nurse's face grew crimson. She made no answer, but in the
eyes that looked straight into his, Dan read a question and his own face
grew red as he said, "I called to see your patient. Dr. Oldham asked me
to come."
"Certainly; come in." She stepped aside and the minister entered the
sick-room. Mechanically, without a word she placed a chair for him
near the bed, then crossed the room to stand by the window. But he did
not sit down.
Presently Dan turned to the nurse. "She is asleep?" he asked in a low
tone.
Miss Farwell's answer was calmly--unmistakably professional. Looking at
her watch she answered, "She has been sleeping nearly two hours."
"Is there--will she recover?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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