Mary Roberts Rinehart

“ Ware was going to the theater, and was distinctly anxious—about being late.
“I'll wait for the next train,” she said at last, resignedly. “But I'm not really alarmed. He always turns up. Rebecca, see if the hooks on my shoulder are fastened, will you?”
Mrs. Ware went. At nine o'clock Billy had not been found, and the men in the hotel started out in earnest with lanterns. Benson and Rebecca had already gone over the grounds without success. ”

“ Miss Lecky said firmly, “never have any ice-cream sodas when they go for walks.”
“Certainly not,” said Benson; “nor sailor suits with long trousers on Sundays. I quite agree with you.”
The covers at the foot of the bed were convulsed; there was a struggle, followed by a loud sneeze, and Billy's flushed face appeared.
“Nor not any ride this evening with you and Dicky?”
Billy was very anxious. Benson watched Miss Lecky's face.
“I should think,” he said judicially, “that giving up the ice-cream soda would be enough punishment for to-day. What does auntie think? ”

“ Benson said cheerfully. “He'll be mightily pleased to have you take care of him.”
The doctor and the colonel both turned and looked at him.
“Mrs. Ware is not in physical condition to nurse a sick child,” the doctor said stiffly, stirring up the contents of the glass with a spoon, “and the boy is well looked after. Miss Rebecca is entirely capable.”
“Billy won't have a trained nurse near him,” the stricken mother explained. “Oh, don't go, Mr. Benson—I am going to ask you the most tremendous favor, and please don't look like that—be a nice boy and say yes!” ”

“ Why, Rebecca, of course, shut up there with him, sitting in a dark room so his eyes won't be hurt, and his mother in hysterics in the parlor, with the doctor holding her hand.”
Benson strode furiously into the house and up the stairs. But the door into the infected wing was shut and locked, and before it hung a forbidding length of white muslin, smelling strongly of carbolic acid. But in the long, shady hotel parlor, opening upon a side veranda, he found Mrs. Ware. Colonel Agnew sat beside her, and the doctor was pouring some medicine into a glass. Benson paused in the doorway. ”

“ There, in a shady angle, he tilted his chair back and dozed off. He was awakened by the pounding of an automobile-engine. He opened his eyes, yawned, and sat up. Just below the rail of the porch was a red touring-car. There were four people in it. Benson recognized Hendricks, the Lieutenant-Governor of the State, and his wife. There were two young ladies in the tonneau.
REBECCA LECKY WAS THERE; AND SO, OF COURSE, WAS BILLY
He got his feet down quickly, and went over to the rail. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1958, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 65 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”