The Argosy — page 184: what you’re looking at

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

Isabel Clifford, M.D. 167 “Tndeed she has, sir, and did all she could for us. She’s well known to all the neighbours here for her goodness. ‘There’s my boy she sent to a Home at the sea-side fora month when he was dis- charged from the hospital—and if anyone could have saved Maggie, she would.” “Remember that your child is saved,” said the clergyman, ear- nestly. ‘Saved from all the sorrow and pain and hardship of this life.” And with a kindly shake of the hand, he went back to his study. A few days afterwards Mrs. Lawrence wrote to Isabel saying that her brother was ill of scarlet fever. ‘“‘ His housekeeper gave him a message from a poor woman asking him to go and see her child who had it badly. We suppose he took it then,” wrote Mrs. Lawrence. ‘““T am glad he went,” said Isabel to herself. We For many days Francis Lawrence lay fighting with the fever that seemed to have fastened on him with a death grip. Isabel heard of him constantly, for her aunt took pains to find out every day how he was. Maggie’s mother, whom Isabel did not fail to visit after the child’s funeral, told her of his goodness, saying, with the usual despondency of her class, ‘“‘ He’ll die, my lady, for sure. Such as him isn’t for this world.” ie But at last news came that he was to be moved to the sea-side, then that the journey had been accomplished, and that he was none the worse. Spring was. now far advanced, and the leaves that had struggled into existence in London squares retained but little of their early freshness. Isabel was tired. ‘The winter had been hard upon her, and she longed to lay down her work for a few days, and feel no responsibility. But no one guessed how tired she was, for she went about her work as carefully and as cheerfully as ever. ‘The children in the hospital looked forward to her visits as to one of their treats, and she had many patients among the poor. “The Lawrences are all back again, and Mr. Francis is with them,” announced Miss Clifford one day when Isabel came home. Isabel made no reply, but leaned back in an arm-chair. ‘You are doing too much, dear! I know you want a rest. Yes, they aren’t afraid of the infection now. Nellie didn’t know him when she saw him ; he is such a shadow. But he goes about as usual. I told him we were at home to-morrow, and he said he would lke to come with his sister.” “Very well, Auntie. There must be a first time,” she added to herself, “‘ and it is well to get it over.” | Several visitors had come and gone the next afternoon before Mrs. Lawrence and Francis appeared. He was indeed only a shadow, and Isabel had a strange sense of beginning anew with him as she GomiilGcaooks am