The Mountain Girl by Emma Payne Erskine Chapter 18 Page 3

rock. What more she could do she knew not, and now she sat at his side still chafing his hands and waiting for Hoke Belew’s return.

Hoke had gone to the station to telegraph for Bishop Towers. Fortunately, as the hotel was so soon to be opened and the busy summer life to begin, the operator was already there.

Azalea, in the great room, was preparing dinner, stopping now and then to touch her baby’s cradle, or to stoop a moment over the treasure therein. Aunt Sally sat in the doorway smoking her cob pipe and telling grewsome tales of how she had “seen people hurted that-a-way and nevah come out en hit.” Sally had ridden over to give help and sympathy, but Cassandra had said she would watch alone. She had eaten nothing since the day before, only sipping the coffee Azalea had brought her.