Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-12-08


matron swept past and found herself
plucking back the folds in wonder, be
fore she thought Of asking simple
question.
There was nothing nothing at
all" said Lou.
SISTER Lou" she whispered, with
chilling dignity. Il am surprised,
What on earth am to Think"
please forget, 1t was nothing
nothing" She put out her hands ana
said it with what sounded almost like
a painting laugh of contempt at her
own fear, Don't send me there to-
night-not tonight"
Don't send you there?" The ma
iron racked her brains to recall pre-
cedent, but could not do 1t. She look
ed at the white, pleading, defiant face.
Come TO my private ROOM"
NO, no; don't wish any one TO
know, Let me stand here a minute;
just minute. You are a woman, too;
you can see it is real! Yes: l may be
mistaken. but thought saw was
don't leave me-" the GREATNESS gasp
broke off. You won't leave me? You
won't leave me, will you?"
The matron reflected, stepped back
and turned the key in the main ward
door, Perhaps she understood physi.
cal agony better than mental.
Nov, | must either know, or ring
up the house surgeon You saw whatN
Turn your eyes away from that cur
tain; look straight at me-" She pu,
her hand on the slight. shrinking
shoulder. Come, dearie: is it not
Anne you told just one woman what
shadow lies over your life? Tell me
trust me-"
4 moment more. and then came the
Cam-to calm-w whisper:
Il loved him. | was living for him
and would have died for him! was
so happy, so sure 1t almost broke
my heart to let him sign away for
three years more at sea. but wouldn't
let him know that 1t was to be HIS
last trip; he had promised He was
to write often; | was to be his dear
wife; | had only to wait and wait.
had only to be as brave as thousands
of women had been before me. He
Wrotc-just two letters. Think of a
woman waiting all those years for a
step and voice that were never to
sound, He had forgotten me: he had
seen some one whose face was more
beautiful than mine. That was the
man who had made me love him untl
| lived upon the hope of his truth!
lie went away yet again; he had
watched and waited outside in the
dark, ashamed to face me and ask my
forgiveness. Did he know-did he
lowed her here and put the question.
know the white wedding dress here in
IT'S tissue paper sheets, every stitch
drawn by own fingers? He knew, at
least, he had taken all the light from
woman's life. | have lived only to
forget him, to hate him, to pray that
might never see him again. Be
cause if saw him" The calm
breath broke off. She pointed. And
he is there!"
Deepest silence, within and without,
broken at last by the matron's lowered
voice.
And you have won your battler
You hate him-you can forget?"
It was part pity, part vague misgiv,
ing, that prompted the question
Sister Lou had not seemed to hear.
Drawn up rigidly still, she pointed
along the corridor. Tragedy's own
wan fingers seemed to be following
lines on her face as she stood.
Forgive you?" She whispered 1t
with quivering, nameless scorn. as IT.
the mans imploring glance had fol
lowed her here and put the question.
Can you-dare you ask it? Can you
bring back the sunlight to my dark.
ened life?"
The matron suddenly clutched her
arm, and drew her away. II was con.
tented, phlegmatic Sister Carrie who
relieved the wondering nurse in the
isolated ward that night And for
quite two hours the matron kept a
careful eye on the corridor between.
II would have been close on mid
night The lights in the isolated ward
were low Only a few of the beds
were eloquently bumped and sleep
seemed to hold the room; Sister Car
RE had thought it safe to doze and
dream for FIVE minutes her white and
plump hands folded on her lap. SO no
one heard the baize door open
Sister Lou in the hood and gown,
stole in. Pale and calm, she looked
like a woman obeying the impulse OF
some dream
Slowly, soundlessly, across TO that
bed she moved Now she craned for
ward to listen to his breathing; one
hand trembled out as to touch and
wake him; she withdrew ii with a
shiver. Was he sleeping? His eyes
were twitchingly closed, his fingers
were drawn up and clencned on air, as
If the mind had been in agony, his
head rocked hopelessly on the pillow.
He was a man-once 1t had been
n him n Hnd ava ,,,in l. 4.