The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-15

ed fender picked them up neatly and with
| dispatch and carried them along with IL.
! When the car stopped In the middle OF
the next block, and the excited crowd
| closed in upon ii, it was found that the ac-
| cident was really more serious thing than
| it had at first appeared. John was badly
! bruised and shaken up. but able in a few
moments TO stagger TO his feet: but as for
! Mary. that we5 quite a different matter
| In falling she had struck her head against
| the fender. and lay white and limp, giving
/ no sign Of life when lifted up John felt
| sure that she was dead and leaned sick
and faint against post near BY.
Things move rapidly in a great city. and
| 1t scarcely seemed a moment before Il pa
troll dashed uD In a trice strong arms
I had lifted the unconscious girl into it, and
John. stunned and dazed crept in beside
her, not knowing what he did or where
! he went. In an agony of fear he hung
above her. saying over and over again the
! loving words for which his hating tongue
had found no expression before
Arrived at the hospital he recovered
somewhat and when they had laid her, yet
white and still, upon a cot he grew drawer
and stronger at the physicians words of
encouragement only stunned by the
blow. | assure you" he said cheerfuIly.
There's a cut on the head but it's not
bad one. and when it is dressed. we'll soon
bring her around. Undo her hair, will you
please, nurse
Johns eyes followed wistful1y the wo-
mans def fingers as she removed hair
pins and unwound coils. Suddenly her
hands made movement which had the ef-
feet of paralyzing him. He looked at her
with surprise and horror. Nearly the whole
of Marys hair seemed to fall off in her
hands. leaving upon her <head only the
merest wisp. She tossed it carelessly upon
a table near by, and seized the scissors to
trim the locks around the wound. John
gdZsd with an increasing fascination upon
the shining mass on the table 1t was fast
ene3 .Ggether with a hard little loop. He
had seen such things before in hair dress
er's windows
AS he gazed earnestly at it, his heart
grew large and light. 1t seemed to him
as il he must shout for Joy All the dark
dismal clouds which had heretofore hung
over the skies of his courtship had sudden
ly rolled away. What glorious vista the
future offered,
When the wound was neatly dressed the
nurse went away leaving her fast-recov
ering patient in his charge. Did the kind
soul appreciate the situation? John be-
lieved that she did. With proud assur-
ance he lifted her dear head upon his
sHCuluer, ana Strokeu BACK the pretty ten
drills which fell over her forehead. If the
button which the nurse had wound trinity
and tightly at the back of her head had
been less tiny and funny he would not
have been so hilariously happy.
Mary. darling" he whispered softly.
Then he seemed TO choke and hesitate. The
old embarrassment had returned, and
threatened TO make him dumb. but he
looked at the hair on the table. took fresh
courage and went brayely on with what
he had wished long to say. Il was a stu
pid thing TO let you get hurt this after
noon. | don't know as you'll think you
could trust me 10 take care OF you always,
as | want to do. since THIS has happened.
Could you. Mary
Mary nestled the little button more CO.
lilly into the hollow of his shoulder The
faint color had begun to creep back into
her cheeks and there was a light in her
eyes and smile on her face which made
Johns heart thump furiously.
oh Jack she sighed. weakly, but con-
tentedly, what an awfully long time
you've been saying it,