Anxious and discomfited, she wandered back to her hotel; and after drinking
a weak cup of tea, locked her room-door, and retired to bed. There she lay,
tossing from side to side--she could not sleep--her anxiety respecting her
father's safety; her fears, lest in the delirium of fever McCloskey should
discover their secret, kept her awake far into the night, and the city
clocks struck two ere she fell asleep.
When she awoke in the morning the sun was shining brightly into her room;
for a few moments she could not realize where she was; but the events of
the past night soon came freshly to her; looking at her watch, she
remembered that she was to go to the hospital at ten, and it was already
half-past nine; her wakefulness the previous night having caused her to
sleep much later than her usual hour.
Dressing herself in haste, she hurried down to breakfast; and after having
eaten a slight meal, ordered a carriage, and drove to the hospital.
The janitor was in his accustomed seat, and nodded smilingly to her as she
entered. He beckoned her to him, and whispered, "I inquired about him.
McCloskey, fever-ward, No. 21, died this morning at two o'clock and forty
minutes."
"Dead!" echoed Lizzie, with a start of horror.
"Yes, dead," repeated he, with a complacent look; "any relation of
yours--want an order for the body?"
Lizzie was so astounded by this intelligence, that she could not reply; and
the old man continued mysteriously.
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