The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-08-01
She turned her

thither in the shaded pool at her
feet He asked her q question. but
she did not answer; she continued to
look down. drew in slightly her under
lip, and gave a dainty shrue Of her
shoulders. When she lifted her face
again, he was at the gate. Then she
murmured:
HE is grand, but I thought the
other was the strong, brave one of
the pair"
The day passed, and the subject Of
the operation to be performed upon
the following morning was never
mentioned between the two friends.
Once, only once, Morse turned his
eyes toward the dark face bending
over a book. The black eyes were
fixed upon the page, and the fingers
Of one hand were crowding the inky
mustache out Of sight And when
they parted to retire, Henry Morse
held out his hand before going to
his chamber, saying:
"Shake, old boy. Recolleet, we arc
friends. ever"
"Friends, ever" echoed Tfndlay, as
he took the warm palm between his
chill fingers.
Goodnight, John, my friend"
"Good-night."
The door between the long. wide,
waiting-room and the operating room
opened, and "Old Ice," leaning heav-
lily upon the arm Of the fair.faced
young student, emerged from Il. The
hazel eyes were not as bright a.
usual, and the generally ruddy face
Of the great surgeon WAS sshen. Ho
was helped into his Office, where he
took . glass Of wine, after which ne
seemed to recover-some Of his old.time
spirits. He left the hospital after
wards-and inside Of ten days was a
dead man. The cause of the old sur.
geno's death was pronounced TO be
blood-poisoning.
Upon the evening Of the day OF the
surgeons funeral. Henry Morse was
taken to St. Marks Ill, weak, nerve
less.
"There seems TO be something
wrong with the boy" said Findlay.
after his friend had been placed upon
one Of the snowy cots, in a COOL quiet
room.
A white hand was laid upon the
sick mans brew. Findlay turned to
meet the calm gaze Of tho Canadian
nurse.
+ "Yes-it is now q struggle between
life and death. I pray God I will win, ="
she said, softly.
"YouT'
"Yes, I nall be his nurse"
There sre others who can surse
him." .
There Is no one but myself Who can
% % much for him." said the sweet.
low voice Of the fair girl. r
"why you, more than any other
nurse7'
THAT no one but he has hight 10
ask, !" replied she, - she pointed TO-
ward the face upon the. pillow.
And then commenced the great bat
tie for the mastery. Medical science
said the brave young fellow should
die. Close. careful and skilled Aurs-
ing, backed up BY youth and man
hood that had never known any
Ill, said he should not die. Every
change, no matter how slight, was
watched BY his friend, John Findlay.
who seemed to be always BY the sick
mans bedside. ..
The fair nurse never left the bed.
side until Findlay went out for his
meals or TO snatch . few moments Of
sleep.
1t is midnight, and the crisis n 81
hand. The face upon the pillow 10
livid. The blue lips are drawn bsck,
and the white teeth CLEAN IN the
shaded light. BY the side Of The bed
sits the young student, Ftndlay. Aold.
ing the feverish hand of hs friend.
The tinkling Of the fountain falls upon
his ears. Tho rattling Of wheels
over the pavement comes from tho
distance. The sleeve Of the siek mans
robe Is pushed back, and the arm
with the turgid veins h disclosed. Tho
smell Agurs In hospital gsrb stands
with back turned to Findlsy. A onG.
lean finger produces from ths vest
pocket something that ghttsrs In the
light A careful hand guides the OBJ
jset 70 the thick part Of tho forearm.
and then-like . phantom, 40 quick
nd - noiseless-a small figure leans
yer the bed and pushes one slender
white hand between the instruments
keen point and the barred arm. A pair
Of black eyes are raised TO the now
lis!d faee of Findlsy, and pair Of
tightly-drawn lips huskily whisper:
do II. coward! You dar~ not!"
The instrument II withdrawn, and
John Findlay leans back and begins 10
push his inky mustache QUA of sight
Again, the figure Of the nurse stand.
ing upright, and with arms folded
acorss the breast, and q pair Of
searching eyes penetrate TO the In.
nsrmost heart of the false friend.
The sick man stirs uneasily, the lips
part, and upon the quiet air Of the
rOoyu fherA fa1la eoft1v alOv1v.