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Page 23
"I don't know but I was horrid to tell you what I did," said Clemency,
looking at him doubtfully.
"I don't thing it as horrid for a girl to assume that every man is in
love with her friend as it would be if she assumed something else," said
James. He knew that his speech was ungallant; but it seemed to him that
this girl fairly challenged him to rudeness. But she looked at him
innocently.
"Oh, no, I never should think that," said she. "Being with two women so
very beautiful as my mother and Annie so much makes me quite sure that
nobody is thinking of me. It is only sometimes that I feel a little like
a piece of furniture, only chairs can't walk into rooms." She ended with
a girlish laugh. Then her face suddenly sobered. "Doctor Elliot, I want
you to tell me something," said she. "Uncle Tom wouldn't if I asked him,
and I don't dare ask him anyway. Do you think mother is very well?"
James hesitated. "You ought to tell me," Clemency said imperatively.
"I have thought sometimes that she did not look quite well," said James.
"What do you think the matter is?"
"It may be indigestion."
"Do you think it is?"
"I don't know. Doctor Gordon has told me nothing, and Mrs. Ewing has
told me nothing."
"I thought doctors could tell from a person's looks."
"Not always."
"Doctors aren't much good anyhow," said Clemency. "I don't care if you
are one, and Uncle Tom is one. I notice people die just the same. So you
think it is indigestion? Well, it may be. Mother doesn't have much
appetite."
"Yes, I have noticed that," said James.
"Then there is something else I want to ask you," said Clemency. "I have
a right to know if you know. What does Uncle Tom make me stay in the
house so for?"
"I don't know," replied James, looking honestly at her.
"Don't you, honest? Hasn't he told you?"
"No."
"Of course, I know the first of it came from my meeting that man the day
you came here, but it does seem such utter nonsense that I have to stay
housed this way. I never met a man that frightened me before, and it is
not likely that I shall again. It does not stand to reason that that man
is hanging around here waiting to intercept me again. It is nonsense,
but Uncle Tom won't let me stir out. He has even ordered me to keep away
from the windows, and be sure that the curtains are drawn at night. I
don't know what the matter is. I can't say a word about it to mother,
she is so nervous. I have to pretend that I like to stay in the house,
and some days I really think I am going mad for fresh air. Uncle Tom
won't even let me go driving with him. So you don't know anything about
it?"
"Nothing whatever."
"Well, I can't stand it much longer," said Clemency with an obstinate
look. "As for the pain in my side, that's an awful lie; I haven't the
ghost of a pain. I can't stand it much longer. Here's Uncle Tom. You are
not going to tell him I said anything about it?"
"Of course, I am not," answered James. He began to feel that he was
entangled in a web of secrecy, and his feeling of irritation increased.
He would have gotten out of it and spent Christmas at his own home, but
Doctor Gordon had an unusual number of patients suffering from grippe,
and pneumonia was almost epidemic, and he felt that he should not
leave. It was the second week of the new year when James, returning from
a call at a near-by patient, whither he had walked, found Mrs. Ewing in
the greatest distress. It was ten o'clock at night, and she was pacing
the living-room. Immediately when he entered she ran to him. "Oh," she
gasped, "Clemency, Clemency!"
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