Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-05-17
AN UNAVOIDABLE DELAY
NJ ~ az az M az YlS M IN M aISM
A DRINK" entreated the weak

lIc VI dluCh llul f}AiN AONN' -
bell connection within reach OF the
feeble fingers, left the room, her light
steps soundiess on the rich, deep car
pet. Along the corridor, down the
stairway, she passed. 1t was late, after
midnight. Lights had been eXtn-
guished in the drawing-roOm, the DIN
ing-room, the library. Only a single
globe, opaque and mellow, lighted the
way. This led to the servants quar-
tiers. Under and beyond the nurse
hurried, a chaste vision. Her blue and
white striped gown and the snowy lin
en- at throat and wrists and the coiled
dark hair accentuated the pallor OF the
patient, serene face.
1t was still in the great house on
Michigan boulevard. Now that the
thaw had come, the crunching of run
uers over the frozen snow, the CHEEKY
jingle of sleighbells, the softened muir
mur of gay young voices no longer
reached the ear. Not that Nurse No
rinc had anything to do with sleighing
parteS-nor any other form OF indl-
vidual diversion. But there had been
nights OUT of the last two months
when she had been a bit bewidered At
times by the recollections these CHM
ing, irresponsible bells awakened. She
had caught herself standing still, with
one hand at her heart-listening to
note should they stop before this door.
She had dropped her hand with a little
sweeping gesture of self-scorn. And
she had resumed her duties with the
sudden glow in her cheeks dying out
as the flush of embers dies under the
pail of gray ashes.
Tonight, however, there was no ex-
traneous sound to divcrt-no personal
remembrances 30 distract her. She
passed into the great, immaculate, de-
serted kitchen. The servants had gone
to bed. She saw an eXpanse of polished
wood floor, tiled walls, sinks of mar
BILE and of metal that glttered like sill
YER; gas and alcohol ranges, and the
numerous minor commodities which
make the drudgery of domestic labor
comparatively light and easy.
Harkl
What was that sound just without?
a cautious, scraping footstep! She
listened - the saucepan poised in one
lifted hand. Silence. Pshaw! 1t was
nothing. 1t was no one. AS if an at
tempt at burglary would be made in
this neighborhood - and with the
light burning! 81 am getting nervous"
she told herself. Constant vigilance,
continual wakefulness will tell on the
strongest of us after awhile. | wish |
might warn all young girls who desire
to become nurses, dreaming only Of the
romantic aspect of that profession
what the real life involves-what the
actual experience means"
She looked around the kitchen, and
a swift retrospect brought the rose
color to her cheek. Here-it was down
here that she and Harry had stolen,
after the cook was asleep, to attempt
the compromising OF one particular,
delicious dish. What a blunder they
had made of it! And she had cut her
hand in welding huge knife over a
small bunch of parsley. Harry had
/ torn his handkerchief into strips, and
tied up the injured member. He had
/ kissed the palm and said: "You have
such pretty hands, Norine!"
All, we'll! She reused herself with a
sigh.
THAT was all so long ago,
And time works changes as we know. y
The milk on the range was at boiling
point. She added teaspoonful of vim
egar to the foaming mass in the sauce
pan, and, quickly removing the same
poured the strange-scented mixture
through fine wire sieve. Her remedy
and refreshment were in readiness
the potent "whey" dear to the heart OF
Transatlantic physicians.
Hark! Again!
She set down the bowl hurTiedly
Nearer that tread-and nearer! 1t was
on the back porch now. He-whoevel
he was-had laid one hand upon thu
window frame-was trying it-wa:
shaking it softly.
Involuntarily Nurse Norine stepped
back. She was not one of your heroic
women. She could feel her hear
pounding, until it seemed to strain it,
cords as a hound strains its leash
Ought she turn out the light? Should
she try to leave the spot?
Thank God!" she painted, "Bessi'
will never learn nursing"
Although the association of bur
glary with nursing was decidedly il
logical.
There was n grating sound at tn
window
Should she-how could she-arous
the servants? And if there was to b
sudden summons-confusion, i
might mean death for her frail pa
tient. Had not the doctors declared
that a shock would cause cardiac col
lapse? No. She must confront wha
danger there might be-alone.
The window was lifted by strong
stealthy hand. A blurred, wrigglini
shadow fell across the floor.
"Now! breathed Nurse Norine
"Now!"
Her professional habit of self-con
trol-the sense of responsibility to he
patient-these sustained her. just a
the clump of shoes struck the floor
she advanced. A lofty, Hl-clad figur
confronted her A face, indistinguist
able between SLOUGH hat and chi
bandage, was near her own. a grim
hand gripped her throat.
keep still" commanded the vote
back of the swathing handkerchie
, keep still"
The command was superfluous, wit
the herculean grip of those strong I'll
gers at her throat
81 won't hurt you went on the al
tocratic voice. "Not if you don't max
a racket lie isn't home-the master
1 saw that in the papers. l want ne
jewels-she's dying. She won't mis-
. them. Where are they? Are they l
the secret closet off the dressing-rool
at the head of the private staircase
a