Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1901-06-05
CHAPTER XIII.

! Raymond Holbin had found il diff
cult to advance his cause with
Frances, if for no other reason than
that few opportunities for seeing her
alone presented themselves. He had
sought interviews repeatedly and
offered the many little courtcsies
which the male resident Of house
may extend to those of the other
sex, but they had been declined with
n 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 a little house
keeping plan of her own and took
her meals in her apartments, q 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 stcpmother, she
joined the family upstairs. but on
such occasions she carefully avoided
tete-a-tete with Raymond, with
drawing always with the elder wom-
| an. On such occasions, the inevitable
| topic had been the war, its vicissi-
tudes. and the responsibilities IL 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
/ Of he.
gentleness with which the elder wom-
an entered into this work, her gen.
crosby 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:
my child, you have surprised and
gratified me of late. If | had known
YOU years ago we should never have
! been less than friends. Try to forget
! the days when | 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 a constraint. She
seemed ever to have entered an atmos-
I phere that had been stripped of its cleo
tricity. Try IS she might. it had been
Impossible to respond unrescrvedIy to
her advances; the Jest she could do
was to meet them with courtesy.
The presenco of wounded men in the
| house gave Raymond for short time
an opportunity to see something of
Frances, and he, too, became famous
nurse. But one day Frances assured
him that if he should prove as good
/ o. M Tor !,
would follow; then he came less often.
| Twice before she had been unable to
resist the temptation to touch the raw
! place; once she had asked him directly
! how ii was that man could keep out Of
war in which other men were win
ming fame; and once, in reply to his
/ question: will you ever like me.
! Frances?' she said: "a Virginia
woman should not be expected to like
! Civilians overmuch wien Virginia soil
j. invaded" At length. to avoid him.
she gave more OF ner time TO the hos
! pital. yielding the care Of those in the
/ home 10 her stepmothcr and the
! trained nurses. Mrs Brookin won
| golden opinions i'm those days \ week
seldom passed without the appearance
| Of her name i'm print coupled with Law
| ish commentator
DR. Brodnar. busy every hour Of tho
| twenty four in which his giant
strength could sustain him awake. had
| but little time to spare for Frances;
but one day in the hospital he got
\ brief report of the girls new expert
/ cncc.
eff had not discovered that am
/ better at saving Oft legs than fighting
-cheming women my child. ] should
say that YOU have never been i'm so
/ much danger as now: but ] have re-
\ tired as am adviser of young women.
/ BY the way. have YOU decided that YOU
vii, come out and keep us company at
/ home? Ny wife sends an invitation not
less than once week"
"No.' She said lit would seem like
7 running. But tell Mrs. Brodnar / am
. very grateful for her kinduess."
"N.i right. Come when you please:
and, Frances cali me q fool as often as
/ you wish. hut Boz careful what YOU eat
an your stcpnother's housc-aud take
/ no mcdicir- there! How have YOU sat
I isfcd them about the night when a
I friend of ours got his wouud?"
They have never been satisfied. I
/ think They tell ne ] am fu.l OF
whims. and perhaps tbcy class that
, night among them. You have not
heard O"
"Not word. GooG-5y," Dr. Brod
mar in the brief meeting with Frances
would never discuss Somcrs. IL Is
I likely that his friends choice OF sides
+ had been an immense disappointment.
+ Frances was bound 10 receive Brod-
narfa Ant nm favo.roI,f,. 49,.