Detective Bob Bridger — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. | 3 943 —**Who is she?” asked Fandon, for he did not recognize the woman’s wan features. ‘“T have not learned her name,” said the doctor. ‘She was brought here from the steamship she came on, and soon after swooned away from sheer weakness. She has revived several times, and asked if you had come; but Il fear it is all over with her now.” Dr. Macy looked intently into the woman’s face, but he - could not recognize her. | Annette bent over the bed and suddenly started back with a scream. “Great Heaven! it is poor Mam Meg!” she cried. As she spoke the sufferer’s eyes opened. Annette kissed her thin lips and looked tearfully into her face, waiting to see if she would speak. ‘‘It is you, Annette. I—I thought I knew that voice,” gasped the dying woman as the tears coursed down her cheeks. A moment she paused to catch her breath. Then she continued : ‘‘Oh, I have been so sick! Billy died four years ago. Drink—drink killed him.” Even as the dying woman said, the crazy giant had suc- cumbed to a continual over indulgence of liquor, which had brought on paralysis, from which he died. - He had been so kind and gentle in his obedience to Meg’s every whim that her lfe had become wrapped up in his, and when he died she felt his loss most keenly. She had always smoked a little, but after Billy’s death she became morose, shut herself in her room for days at a time, brooding over her trouble, and smoking her pipe— constantly. At length she became sick and confined to her bed. The doctor said that too much smoking had formed a cancer in her stomach. Feeling that she had but a short while to live, she caused her attorney to dispose of her real estate, and departed for England more dead than alive, resolved to see once again the fair face of the little lady she had reared from an out- cast babe. ‘*“Where—where is your—husband?” gasped the dying woman. | Fandon leaned forward beside his wife, so that she might see him. Meg tried to smile, and her tears coursed down afresh. “Children?” she muttered. cComichooks.co m