Her Faithful Knight — page 162: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

158 Home Again. conscious and semi-conscious intervals, so although but twelve days more would see the conclusion of the tour and disbanding of the company, Dorothy seized the chance of a cheap and early excursion from Bournemouth to Lon- ~ don to catch a glimpse at her beloved Phyllis. Outside the sick room Nurse Rose stopped her. “Your sister is terribly weak,” she whispered, “and her heart’s action is so feeble that anything in the nature of a shock must be avoided. I have been preparing her gently for your visit during the past hour and she is quiet now. She is quite conscious to-day and recognized your foot- step. Try not to show surprise at her altered appear- ance.” Dorothy bent her head and stole into the room. The green blind was half lowered to protect the invalid’s eyes from the sun and its shade accentuated the unearthly pal- lor of Phyllis’ face. Her small, pale mouth seemed abso- lutely large, so sunken were her cheeks, and her gray eyes appeared of an unnatural size and brilliancy. Round her waxen-white forehead short rings of dark-brown hair, cut close as a boy’s added yet another unfamiliar note to her appearance. Her plentiful, soft hair which for stage effect she had dyed a pale gold color, had been cut off during her illness, and, womanlike, this was her first thought after Dorothy had stepped gently to her bedside and folded her in her arms. “Oh, my dear, dear Dolly,’ she whispered feebly. “How beautiful to have you here again. Do I look very dreadful without my hair? It made me so hot I was glad to get rid of it. And it will never matter how I look again now.” “Hush, my dear one. You don’t know what you are saying.” “Yes, Ido. Is nurse out of the room?” “Yes, Phyllis, dear, don’t try to talk.” Eomichooks (<(0)