Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-12-04

dashed him fiercely, but the doctor
scarcely needed her blows. Helen felt
the soul OF the healer in his assured,
tender touch. She resumed her book
though the pain kept her colorless.
you are brave woman" Albain
said, gratefully, when the dressing was
done; "the bravest I ever knew"
For an instant the gray eyes met
him and he turned away surprised and
stung by her pity. He almost ran over
Mrs. MastOn to whom the maid had
just refused admittance.
why should she pity him? Why?"
During the next two weeks the doc
tor made good the slight he had put
upon the road that ran past Hillside
cottage. Morning, noon and night he
Travelled it. Though he could do moth
ing after the arm was dressed until the
time came to dress it again, anxiety
drove him back to the cottage. He and
his patient did not get on well together.
Under her perfect courtesy lay ever
that touch of still disdain- Albain had
ceased to wonder why. He knew that
justly or unjustly she held him guilty
of having INDUCED his petty spite at
the cost Of his professional responsible
tiles. For a time this did not trouble
him. If he saved the arm, made good
the criminal carelessness, her opinions
might go hang. Gradually, however,
as his anxiety grew less fierce, his indie
pendent attitude weakened, and on the
day that her case was dismissed it de-
serted him utterly.
Before we say good-gy, should like
to make an explanation" he remarked,
grimly.
what about?' she questioned,
calmly.
about some action of my own"
Don't do it," she advised. Moth
ing on earth belittles a man like ex-
planning his actions. The philosophers
are right: IF man in himself is not
sufficient guarantee for his acts, his
words will never justify them
(Which is polite way Of saying that
you would rather condemn me IN
heard" Albain reflected, gloomily, con-
scious that she was hurting worse than
he had imagined possible.
"No doubt you and the philosophers
are right" he replied. But the look in
his eyes betrayed what his words strove
to hide.
| Now the antics sane man will cut
when he upSets an ink bottle are only
equaled by the undreamed-of impulses
| that will master a sensible woman
when she finds that she has hurt man
who cares for her. So it happened that
cool woman, started impulsively to her
feet.
Wait she exclaimed, incoherently.
"I didn't mean then impulse desert
ed herr. She would have given all she
possessed to be back in her Office chair
and her dignity. And there she was
with her hand on his sleeve and pair
of eyes fastened upon hers that were
rapidly changing from inquiry to
eagerness.
"I haven't any sense she exclaimed,
| clenching the offended hand with a
vindictiveness that evinced her willing
ness to cut it off and cast it from her.
1t was the doctors turn to laugh, but
the humor of the situation did not seem
to appeal to him. Instead he took the
small fist and unclenched the cold
fingers.
'Once," he said, slowly, 'T told my
self that all the ground upon which we
might have formed a friendship was
preempted. I was angry at the time.
and did not know how truly I spoke. l
see now that even then lose had staked
out his claim I have treated you pref
ty rough Being laughed at by the
woman he loves will make man mad
der than anything on earth. I never
realized how mad I was until | saw
what a brute had been. Dou you sup
pose you will ever be able to bring
yourself to recognize this claim of
| Cupid's?'
Helen's hand moved uneasily in his.
cit seems to be pretty well eStab-
lished,'' she grumbled. even my COM
mon sense is preempted.'
And this time the doctor had his
laugh. A low, tender laugh.