"
"And I also. Thank goodness I shall at last get all the sleep I want."
Much to Mrs. Bent's surprise she and the baby were brought over to the house
almost before she knew where she was. Bent was devoutly and undisguisedly
thankful, for he was afraid of the infection, and also hoped that a few weeks
in the hotel alone with Mrs. Delville might lead to explanations. Mrs. Bent
had thrown her jealousy to the winds in her fear for her child's life.
"We can give you good milk," said Mrs. Hauksbee to her, "and our house is much
nearer to the Doctor's than the hotel, and you won't feel as though you were
living in a hostile camp Where is the dear Mrs. Waddy? She seemed to be a
particular friend of yours."
"They've all left me," said Mrs. Bent, bitterly. "Mrs. Waddy went first. She
said I ought to be ashamed of myself for introducing diseases there, and I am
sure it wasn't my fault that little Dora"--
"How nice!" cooed Mrs. Hauksbee. "The Waddy is an infectious disease herself--
'more quickly caught than the plague and the taker runs presently mad.' I
lived next door to her at the Elysium, three years ago. Now see, you won't
give us the least trouble, and I've ornamented all the house with sheets
soaked in carbolic.
Pages:
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453