The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-08


looked out on whiteHashed inner court
81 the building, and, except for the oppo-
site windows, offered nothing 10 attract
the attention. But when the first warm
april Gay came and the windows were all
raised 20 let in the dry perfume Of spring,
she saw at the opposite window, looking
fiXediy but respectfully at her. the pale
face CT a man.
That afternoon Miss Lowther's nurse
brought her a fragrant bouquet OF red
carnations. From Mr.. Bennett" whis-
/ whispered the gentle creature
And who. pray, is Mr. Bennett?" asked
the nervous Miss Lowther.
'tOh, the roor fellow is just across the
court in the mems ward. He has a bro
ken leg, railroad accident. saw you at
your window and asked me about you"
! Miss Lowther sat up and looked out
He was there, and the smile upon his face
was good to see as he watched her
smelling his flowers.
1T was very kind of him. wasn't it !?
/ So, he asked you about me, did he? And
/ what did you tell?'' asked the patient.
"Oh. just told him what knew. That
/ you We're ali alone, a stranger in Chicago,
that you had broken your wrist falling
on the ice, that you were very patient,
your name. that you We're a school
teacher, and that you expected"
Expected what?"
That you expected to be able 10 leave
/ the hospital very soon"
All. that was right, Miss Helen" with
a sigh Of relief; you didn't tell him that
/ f-ycu didn't say anything about Mr..
| Wheelock. or that was-er-eng d2''
oh, no, miss"
There was silence for few minutes
while Miss Helen arranged the carna-
/ tons liz the sunlight of the open window.
Besides. you know, I didn't say that I
{ m my ir7a n va
I Mr.. Wheelock. He has neglected me
/ shamefully. He knew 1 was hurt and in
/ the hospital I wrote him myself two
( letters. I haven't seen him for two
/ months, and not q word from him since
I came here We did intend to be mar
ried this spring. but he went to Denver
j and the Lord Knows
! The speakers big eyes were looking
wistfully across the court.
The Lord knows WHAT"
ooh, I don't know what He knows"
snapped the pretty patient, and II I
I never hear from Mr.. Wheelock again, I
guess it won't Kill me-
/ "Umph! I thought it was sure-enough
! case of love-
Love fddIesticks. Helen! I'm nearly
/ 50 and I'm tired school-teaching. He's
an awfully good man. sober, intelligent
and all that, you know, and 1 think
/ he'd make a good husband. But as for a
romance got past that ten years agoi'
! That afternoon. however. she got let
ter with the Denver postmark on it.
Dear Miss Lowther:-I have been so
busy with cur spring examinations that 1
really hadn't a moment to spare for cor
respondence. I am truly sorry TO hear
that you are laid up. 1 believe you said
you had broken your leg. l expect to pass
through Chicago about April 10 and expect
TO find you better. If you leave the hos
pital please send me your address.
like my position IN the high school very
well. and expect to become quite fond OF
Denver in time. Yours truly.
DENT GRISWOLD WHEELOCK.
What a passionate appeal" murmured
little Miss LOwther, biting her lip TO keep
down the saTdonic smile that threatened
10 break out in bitter laugh. But she
read the letter again and again.
But the nurse put Mr.. Wheelock and
his cold-blooded message out of her mind
by bringing pile of novels and maya
zines. which she laid upon the table, say
ing: Mr.. Bennett sent you these, miss.
So she took one of the story books and
with a kind of calm satisfaction with the
attentions of her unknown admirer, put
. her plump arm under her shapeiy head to
seek in the printed page something ten
derer and sweeter than she had found in
the letter from Denver. Every day after
that some delicate token of remembrance
came from the mems ward. sometimes
with a little note. respectfully but pref
THY couched. in which the writer hoped
that she was better, or calling her atten-
ton TO some special article IN the maya
zines. or chapter iT the books which, me
hoped" might please her But after a
week Of this long-range love-making had
progressed. the nurse, who was somehow
quite prejudiced against the Denver pro-
lessor sidled up TO Miss Lowther's bed
side and whispered:
He wants permission to pay his re-
spects, miss"
who? Mr. wheelock? It isn't the 10th
yeti" ratified the patient.
''No-sh-h-h! Mr.. Bennett He's wait
Ing at the door there. He's so anxious
to meet you"
How do I look? Quick, Helen, give
me that shawl Now Is my hair hang
ing down at the back? Certainly, show
him in"
he came slowly in, for he was stin
lame, but Miss Lowther thought him
quite handsome. Taller than she sup
posed but Of mighty frame in spite Of his
gauntness. His voice, as he saluted her.
was very musical, strong but low. He
asked about her injuries. and she told
him pretty much ali about herself how
she was hurt. the surgical operations she
had undergone, etc, before she thought
that. perhaps, she might as wen say
something about Professor WheelocE
Good night. Miss Lowther." he was
saying. as she wondered whether Il was
just the proper thing to let him hold her
hand, Il may call on you tomorrow.
NO, If you please, not tomorrow" she
answered: mot Till the day after. You
see-tOmorrow is the 10Th, isn't it? Wen,
7 n expecting company tomorrow. But
the day after She smiled, watching
~ face grow sad and then light up
But an awful thing happened some time
during the night between the eth and
10Th, Miss Lowther had put her false
teeth in q glass OF water On the window
SILL ard IN some unexplained manner 81
had been knocked. glass and ail. out Of
the window 10 he shattered into fragments
u1on the paved courtyard. II such q
thing had happened az almost any ether
time IL would have been q tragedy. But
the distracted girl had no sooner learned
OF the fate OF her teeth than she real
lied that It was the morning 81 the very
day when Professor Wheei0ck was 10
visit her. There was swift scurryiue for
dentists. none OF whom could PROMISE
anything within three DAYS. They made
plaster casts CT her generous bat pretty
mouth, and said they wonId rush
things bat there was no alternative for
that day beyond denying herself %
Wheelock or facing him IN the tgothless
state.
Al 70 that morning he had not called.
Al u the nurse ran n with p set az
teeth. Try them" she cried. Your
professor IS n the waiting rocm- U0o't
ask me where I got them- y vog can
Near them Tor an hour youu be al
rleht
Mss IcHther id try them The plate
vas a lit big ard unfamiliar, elt she
managed 70 place & and found she could
Pen -re-r.s~Ee r1rH.ff--sa
eek. ove--gr1oued. smiling. coudssc1 s.
L. 49, = Il ----.--- Ia 49,