Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-11-05

The doctor FASTENED to the bedside,
and his mother left the room to COM
plete the errand thar had been inter-
rrpted by the advent OF Mrs Phil
brick
AmeGa's eyes were open, and she
vas looking up at the ceiling, Her
expression was clear. hut a little Won
derng withal The doctor felt his
heart beating strangely as he saw that
she had returned to couSciousueSS
lie held his breath as She turned her
eyes to his, \ faint flush overspread
her checks as she recognized him,
DR.. WilliamSw she said. with n
glad surprise ringing in her faint
tones
lmpulsively She thrust one pallid
hand from beneath the coverlet, aud rs
" took it and pressed 1t gently be
tween both his own the color upon her
face deopened.
How do YOU feel, Amelia" he asked
in a choking voice
so strange" she answered. with a
smile that belied her words. For an
instant her eyes closed and when she
opened them again the doctor felt a
slight but unmistakable pressure from
her hand. In that moment these two
read one another's souls: the secrets
of their hearts were laid too plainly
before them to need words of avowal,
And yet there was hesitation, there
was so much that each one conscien-
tiously thoAght needed explanation
and apology
Amelia was the first to feel the
dit1idence that ever stands as a bar to
the complete expression OF love, but
when she tried to withdraw her hand
the doctor resisted She smiled again,
a happy smile. and turned away her
eyes.
Il sup 1850 Eve been awake only a
minute or two" she SAID "hut SO much
has gone through my mind in thar
time! How long have been sick"
Two or three days" replied the
doctor, Don't let that distress you,
You are going to get we'll"
Yes | know am | feel it. and 1
am very glad. wouldn't have sup
posed | could feel glad again,
Or. Williams remembered that he
was the physician, and bent his head,
not trusting the man to speak but his
while being thrilled With a JOY that
would have found words sorry
vehicle, He would have liked to sing,
but to keep strictly within thc bounds
of truth, the doctors singing, while
it might have been highly satisfactory
to himself, would have seemed sorricr
than words to listeners
"Of course Continued Amelia. when
| awOke couldn't think at first what
lad happened, but saw that was in
my own room. | remembered leaving
il intending never to return. Then
was conscious that | had been hero for,
it seemed long, long time, and
thought somehow that you had been
here, too. 50 | wasn't surprised OK
actly when ! saw you though 3"
She paused moment and added
with an effort:
Though it seemed very natural and
was happy
you mustn't talk amy more now,
dear whispered the doctor, hardly
able to form his words Remember.
| am your physician, and mus, Sc" to
it that YOU do not oycrdo
How good YOU are, But | wanted
YOU to understand that when | said
! felt strange it was because couldn't
quite understand how | could feel any
way but hopcessly melancholy, And
yet 1t is 50 natural, too
She sighed lightly and closed her
eyes.
The doctor released her hand at last
and stood up. The realization of his
surprising interest in this patient was
now full upon him. He had fought
off The truth during her long hours Of
uncOnaciousucss, and had told himself
that his watchluIness and anxiety
were dictated by impulses Of common
humanity mingled with rcsentful dc
termination to prevent Professor
Drtnmond from accomplishing any
further wickedncss He had admitted
10 himself no more than longing
not altogether vague, that be stcrnly
tried to regard as weakness and TO
suppress, and perhaps if Amelia had
awakened, with her tortured mind
still directed to the unhappy past, with
no outlook but misery, and no thought
Of him, perhaps he would have sup
pressed 1t. Some men can measurably
control their affections but II the
doctor was one of them Amelia's
Weakening dissipated all thought and
desire Of banishing from his life that
which was sweetest.
The physician standing by the bed
and gazing down at his patient, still
feared to excite her in this incipeut
conyalescence. The man bent over
and pressed his lips upon her brow
The faint flush returned to her checks
the lips parted in happy smile, but
the eyes remained closed. 1t might
have been TOO much just then for her
10 bear the sight OF a loving face, but
not even the methodical physician