The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-09-10
WAITING FOR
THE VERDICT
A Story Of Woman's
Fortttude
BY l. G. NoBERLY.

ticked monotonously The little, regu-
lar sound began 10 run as tune IN ber
brain; she even found that her fingers
mechanically drummed the same air
upon her knee. IL was some inane tune
OF the hour-something that every or
gan played. every street boy whistled-
and It's rhythm fitted in excellently
with the ticking u the clock. and both
tangled IN her brain with irritating per
sisience.
Every detail of the room had stamp
ed itself upon her mind during these
minutes she hit sat there-minutes
was II. or hours. since the great doctor
had said 90 her in a voice that struck
her as strangely gentle.
"Wl1 you Kindly wait 90 the waiting
room. Ms. Ainslie. while Dr. Bryant
and talk over matters
IL might De minutes since she came
IN here she thought idly, OF. again, Il
might De- lours ln any case, she had
sat there So long that every detail of
the room would be Fixed iu her rccollec-
tion until her dying DAY. And that day.
=; any rate was very. very long way
OF. She glanced almost iuyoluntarily
nt the narrow glass set into the side
board. and. seeing the reflection OF her
own face-such q young face-she
smiled faintly.
She had attracted many curious and
admlring glauces from the other men
and women who waited in the big.
gloomy room. one little. shab5ily dress
ed woman who sat On the corner watch
ed her almost enviously. The shabby
woman's obseryant eyes noted the 9th
e-'s fair loS oSeliness. her exquisite dress.
the atmosphere Of ease and luxury and
comfort that surrounded her-tho at
mosphere Of one who has always been
cared for and sheltered. upon whom
no rough winds have ever blown-and
the shabby woman wondered what had
brought this pretty. beautifully dress
ed little person into the doctors wait
ing room. The thought flashed through
her mind that Il was probably some
fancied a.lmcnt FOR which she had
come. IL was Impossible 10 associate
the idea OF sickness or pain with that
lovely face. those smart garments.
The clock licked on.
The inane tune that had set itself 20
the ticking changed on as well In the
brain Of the little lady by the table
She looked round the room again. She
wondered family why the walls were
papered with such heavy red paper and
why the person who selected the cur
talns had chosen ;nat particularly dull
shade OF crimson. II would have been
more cheerful for the waiting victims
II the room had been less uncompro-
mislngly dreary. The pictures hang
ing upon the red paper were good In
themselves, but something about their
big. heavy frames oppressed her. A
sudden longing seized her for her own
bright, pretty boudolr. which was all
light and color.
How much longer, she wondered. did
these doctors intend 20 keep her Ia this
dreary room while they discussed her
case?
Her case!
u was so funny 10 think that they
could talk about her case. Why. she
had always been the incarnation OF
health. Everybody had always said
tIt " a. ~ EAANAA- anu NNAAs ~ " a-
too ridiculous that she should be sit
ting In a doctors waiting room. and
she herself would naturally never have
dreamed Of consulting the great sur.
geon at all II her own doctors face
had not grown So absurdly grave when
she had gone 70 him yesterday about
that little lump which annoyed her
Personally she thought be had made
rather an unnecessary fuss. In fact
she had told Dr. Bryant as much to
his face-had. indeed, asked him why
he could not sluply cut the thing away
then and there and have done with H.
Il don't IN the least mind the tiny
scar that a little thing like that Will
leave" she had said 70 him, and hcl
own laughing words Tecurrcd 20 hci
now as her eyes wandered once NOR,
10 the clock.
Twenty minutes!
How could IL possibly take those two
doctors 20 minutes 10 discuss her sim
pie case? Why, she bad considered Il
so simple q matter that she had MOT
even told her husband about it uo
that she was 90 come and see Sin
James this morning,
Jack was always In such an agony
II her little lnggr ached that she ha,
refraiued from mentioning the lump {,
him az all, aud he knew nothing of he
visit 20 Dr. Bryant yesterday. mucl
less about the consultation today Why
her dear. loving iussy old Jack, tn,
dearest husband lu the world. woul,
think she was going Co die az the yer!
least II be knew that she was sittin.
in Sir James Cochrane's room waiting
for the verdict
waiting for the verdict"
Something In the words framed b!
her own mind sent a quick little shive
through her for which she could not ac
count. and n vision rose before her o
n prisoner waiting M the bar and won
dering-wonderiEg perhaps whether IN
Judge would presently put on the blacl
cap or no. An, well, 10 must be terri
BILE 70 be ia such a position, She wa