The Iola register., 1901-06-07
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
Raymond Holbin had found It diff
cult to advance his cause with
Frances, IL for no other reason than
that few opportunities for seeing her
alone presented themselves. He had
sought interviews repeatedly and
ottered the many little courtesies
which the male resident of house
may extend to those of the other
SEX but they had been declined with
a persistence that only added fuel
to the flames which were consuming
him. The girl seldom dined with the
family; she had during her fathers
long illness instituted little house
keeping plan of her own and took
her meals in her apartments, a mat
ter very conveniently arranged by
reason of the position of the apart
ments and the constant attendance of
nanny. Occasionally, yielding to
the insistence of her stepmother, she
| Joined the family upstairs, but on
! such occasions she carefully avoided
a tete-a-tete with Raymond, with
/ drawing always with the elder wom-
an. On such occasions, the inevitable
| topic had been the war, its vicssi
| tudes. and the responsibilities it in
volved. In these meetings and the
! presence of great events she after
awhile learned, if not TO like her step
mother, at least to suspend judgment
upon her; indeed, sometimes she had
been tempted to doubt the correct
ness OF her former judgment, for
when the city began to be crowded
with wounded Mrs. Brookin threw
open her house to them and gave
much Of her time to their care. The
gent.eness with which the elder wom-
an entered into this work, her gem
erosity and her universal courtesy
were bound to impress such a girl
as Frances. Once, as though yielding
to noble impulse, she placed her
arm about the girl and said:
"NIy child, you have surprised and
gratihed me of Late. II | had known
you years ago we should never have
been less than friends. Try to forget
the days when l seemed unkind, please,
and do not cherish anger towards an
old woman" Frances tried to forget,
but always in the presence of Mrs.
Brookin she felt constraint She
seemed ever to have entered an atmos-
phere that had been stripped Of its eiec-
tricity. Try as she might, it had been
impossible 10 respond unreseryedly to
her advances; the best she could do
was to meet them with courtesy.
The presence of wounded men in the
house gave Raymond for a short time
an opportunity to see something oil
Frances, and he, too, became a famous
nurse. But one day Frances assured
him that if he should prove as good g
fighter as he was nurse promotion
would follow; then he came less often
Twice before she had been unable tc
rosist the temptation TO touch the raw
place; once she had asked him directly
how il was that man could keep out oi
a war in which other men were win
ming fame; and once, in reply TO hi'
question:: "Will you ever like me
Franees2" she said: "A Virgins
woman should not be expected to IKE
civilians overmuch when Virginia sol
Is invaded" Al length, to avoid him
she gave more OF her time to the hos
pital, yielding the care OF those in th'
home TO her stepmother and tht
trained nurses. Mrs BroolSin voT
golden opinions in those days. \ weel
seldom passed without the appearance
OF her name in print coupled with Law
iSh commendation.
DR.. Brodnsr. busy every hour of th'
twenty-Dour in which his gian
strength could sustain him awake, haC
but little time to spare for Frances
but one day in the hospital he got 4
brief report OF the girls new expert
ence.
"If l had not discovered that l an
better at saving Off legs than fighting
boheming women, my child, l SHOULD
say that you have never been in 81
much danger as now; but l have re
tired as an adviser OF young women
BY tho way, have you decided that yol
will come out and keep US company a
home? Ny wife sends an invitation no
less than once a week"
mo" she said, sit would seem lllt
running. But tell Mrs. Brodnar l an
very grateful for her kindness"
"All right Come when you please
and, Frances, call me a fool as often a
; you wish, but be careful what you ea
in your stepmother's house-and TAX
no medicine there! How have you sat
isfed them about the night when {
friend of ours got his wouud|'
"They have never been satisfied,
, think. They tell me l am full o
whims, and perhaps they class tina
might among them. You have no
heard-2'
, "Not a word. Good-by!" DR.. Brod
mar in the brief meetings with France
, would never discuss Somers. 1t /
I, likely that his friends choice OF side
, had been an immense disappointment
, Frances was bound TO receive Brod
nnrs hint unfaVorably when she con
sidered the new and continued kind
| ness of her stepmothOr. Often the la'
ter said:
when ii Is all over, my child, thi
cruel war, these scenes OF suffering