The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-16
Back TO Light and Love.

| OF the Qervish camp. Tomorrow's dawn
would see the assault. Two officers stood
together talking in low whispers.
Buck up odd chap; you'll come through
al fright And If not, what does it
amount 10. You've got no women folk TO
bother about"
No thank heaven. 1t is in times like
this that one is glad never 10 have mar
ried-like poor Harcourt."
why poor?"
81 was thinking OF his wife.
shouldn't care to be tied to an ugly wom-
an myself"
That's al Irot-. Hamilton" retorted
the other 81 sdon't believe it matters a
row of pins, so long. of course, as she
isn't repulsive or underbred."
Think so?"
Eyes. The most unlikely women some
times attract most
We'll. old chap, I'm precious thankful
I've no thoughts of woman to bother me
tonight. 1 shah try to lead tomorrow,
even if 1 have got the route; we've good
| chance of being first into the zareba.''
The two went to their separate posts.
! And as he lay sleepless. the thought came
| TO Hamilton that il was somewhat lone
some 10 think that no woman's eyes
would fill at the news Of his death.
The shadow Of death lay upon him, Is
at times it does upon the bravest SOL
der; he would fight none the worse for
| it in the morning.
| The sun had risen.
In the previous short half hour Of dawn
| the assault had been delivered. the Der
| wish forces had been driven from their
| intrenchments.
! Backward, across the half-mile of plain,
the surgeons were busy. Away TO the
southwark could be heard the sounds of
| pursuit as the British lancers chased the
1 flying Bagara.
! A field hospital at the front is not
! pleasant place, neither can it be de-
scribed in cold black and white. War
correspondents. as readers of the dailies
have no doubt noticed, judiciously avoid
| more than the merest mention OF such
places.
Now, hamilton. let's see," said Sur
| geon Major Murphy approaching an Of
| ficer who lay motionless on a stretcher-
who had so lain half an hour at least.
The doctor looked his patient over, gave
a low whistle and beckoned to one of the
orderlies, who at that moment turned
| his head.
| Look, see, Dawkins. here's a bad easel
| He must go back to the hospital"
bad as that. doctor?" asked the mo-
| tionless man family.
% IT'S so! Now you keep quiet"
Lieutenant Hamilton had been totally
| blinded by the explosion of shell nan
| earthwork as, well in front, he was lead
ing his company. He was sent to the
rear-to hospital-and Sister Mary was
| given charge of him.
He had not much pain, only ne was
| blind Treatment appeared to have no
| effect on this; it seemed likely TO be a
| long business The days began to hang
| heavily. Then came the old story, Love
| in idleness.'
Hospital sisters do not cease to be
women when they take up their work
| Sister May was just as susceptible to love
as though she had been silly young
| thing Of IS. though, in fact, she was ten
years older. And ne? Pity being akin
to love the recipient of pity runs double
| risk. Her voice was soft and musical,
her touch was soothing, her care of him
seemed first motherly, then sisterly, and
| then
And her one fear was that some day
he might see again The surgeon said it
| was just possible, and was advising a
consultation with the world-famed Pro-
| fessor Augenwirts of Graefrath. She
! prayed against that possibility, for in her
| own eyes she was plain-noy, ugly past
redemption. Yet, though she could not
realize it, her too large mouth and promi-
nent teeth, her irregular nose, and all
| the fancied fmperfectionS of her face mat
! tered little; for her large grey eyes were
soft and full lof animation, her skin was
| like velvet, her figure and carriage per-
| feet. But, womanlike, she could only
dwell upon facial defects and was fun of
| apprehension lest some day his sight
! should be restored and, seeing her fea-
lures, he should loathe her.
| Her cousin Kate "a sister nurse, seeing
how things tended. chaffed her unmerci-
| fully.
'Now, May, I thought you had long ago
| sacrificed your life to nursing land yet
! the first good-looking young lieutenant
'He will always want nursing, Kate"
she faltered, in excusez.
"Ah, but suppose DR. Haggerty Is right
and his sight comes back; he won't want
any nursing them
! Sister May did not answer
| week later Hamilton left the hospital
| for Graefrath full Of hope. The night
previous to his departure they came to
an indefinite understanding and though
| she would not give an unqualified answer
| to his pleadings, she had not the cour-
| age to stop him altogether. In reckless
| ness she allowed herself 70 drink in the
/ sweets of his passionate words.
The operation was successful beyond
| his hopes, and in a few weeks he was
rushing back to his love-eyes shaded, II
| is true, but with the certainty that in a
| short time his sight would be fully re-
| stored.
| 81 want to see Miss tombstone" he said
to the orderly at the hospital entrance.
Miss tombstone, sir? Which,"
'Why, the nurse"
Yes. sir; but there's two Of them"
''Well-er-she's very good-looking.
did not know there were two"
| ''Oh, yes. sir; there's two. But know
| the one YOU mean now"
! And he was shown into the waiting
room.
Gentleman wants me? Who can It"
Then the door opened. He started for
| ward
"Aly Lowell he whispered. 81 knew you
| were beautiful. have come back to
claim YOU
Sister Kate drew back, startled. For
| the moment she could not imagine who
this man with the shade over his eyes
could be. In that moment ne had drawn
her TO him and was wildly pouring out his
! love
In that moment also the door again
| opened and Sister May, looking IN, saw
an
She faltered and stepped back. the
| beating Of her heart choking her for the
minute.
stop, sirr said Kate. regaining her
senses. on must De MI E1diIl-Al0E-
Yes" he answered amazed, releasing
| her
This frivolous little voice was not that
! Of his love. This overturned hair. these
shallow eyes were not beautiful at the
second gisnce What had ne done?
Are you Miss Johustone?'
yes Kate tombstone"
Kate? And your sister"
Cousin
rs she not here2''
Yes" said Kate. with a smile stay
he-a IN @a-0l +a-