The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-11

She flushed scarlet. May I not see
I'VE shall be happy. Miss Hopkin-
shaw, to give you particulars of his pro-
gress, but for you to call there will be
Then the reason dawned on her.
I see.'
Her features set f1xedly and the words
fell coldly-"It would not be proper
-Er. He will have every attention, .
the embarrassed Head explained. The
Girl turned on her heel.
of course. we are more than CRATE
full for your kindness''-but she was
gone and the excuses and reasons
which were addressed to empty air
though more fluent of delivery, sounded
horribly unconvincing to the two men,
the sole auditors, as they reiterated
them soothingly to each other.
Propriety! Yes, she had acted with
American freedom, she supposed, In
venturing to knock at the neglected
door. Propriety would have left him to
die. Propriety, as tyDified by that fussy
old dame who shuts her eyes to every
thing disagreeable that does not prOwl
under her very nose"
She sat by her window while the sun
fieclzed with crimson clouds the scanty
yellow sky over the way.
She watched a cab draw up-a sparse
figure and corded box deposited. That
was the nurse, she supposed. She pick
ed up a book and tried to read
Night came darlly down. The shops
lit their lamps. Unmindful of the dark
ness she sat in the window seat and
brooded with hot cheeks over the Heads
edict About 9 o'clock she saw the
nurse go out. Then she did daring
thing Putting on her cloak she stole
warily up the rickety staircase.
He lay apparently asleep. The win
dow was open The nurses tea things
lay about. but little seemed to have
III. cir, 10
fire was nearly out Bending down
quietly, she breathed fresh life into the
dying embers. freshly piled the fuet
and with a last look at the fever puck
cred brow, fed down the stair, her heart
aching strangely for the desoIate man,
and in mortal dread of discovery.
The next day, toward afternoon. she
met the owner of the raucous voice in
the street Her inquiry as to the pro-
fessor was met with a shaking of the
head, accompanied by incoherent muir
murs that might have been the result
of despairing pessimism or alcoholic
stimu1ant. Mention of the nurse evoked
only a sniff in reply. together with a
shake of the head. and the contempt
uOus production of a gin bottle, sug-
costing vice which the raucous voiced
one evidently strongly disapproved Of
in others
And he was lying there-worse than
alone-in such care. That women so de-
graded crept into the ranks Of an hon
Orable profession, she knew. But that
he should be at the mercy of one of
thesei That night she watched the wo-
man out, but dared not to go up.
In her doubt and despair she turned
into the street Amid the flare of the
lamps, she saw figure with bonnet and
cloak awry drop out of a common bar
and into the seething crowd
The Girl few back, and up the rickety
stair.
The raucous one met her at the head
her voice more husky than ever. Time
some 'un come" she said, .Lor' 'elp
int" and in her grief she pulled again.
with a broken sob, art the bottle. The
Girl went in and bent down over the
lonely man.
The fever had left him, but something
else was fast ebbi7g with it. The life
hope and the lonely soul were speeding
out to the dancing waves of the un-
known sea The waters sang in his
ears The spray dubbed and foamed
through rosy beams of sunlight. and
the hymn of the Unknown sounded
eternal over all
A few drops remained in the followed
bowl Of an emptied brandy bottle on the
Uttered table. She poured them out
and hastily diluting gave them to the
The rainbow land and emerald seas
turned leaden hued. the waters gure1ed
and droned painfully The Man
opened his eyes Did he know her?
A step on the stairs The dour Pro-