The Press., 1904-02-18
LITTLE
"a By N.
IA N ~ LOUISE
CUMMINS
Copyright. 1905. by 7. g. Mcclure

Jean Lindsay passed down the long
hospital ward with firm, quiet step.
The blue gingham and ample white
apron of her nurses dress hung in
loose folds around the tall, gracious
figure. The spotless bands at wrists
and neck only served to show up the
fine whiteness of her skin. Her snowy
cap rested on thick waves of bronze
hair.
Dexter Garst drew back into the cor
ridor and, watching her, wondered If
the time would ever come when he
could see her move thus toward him
and not find his whole being stirred to
its very center.
The day, nearly a year before, when
he had laid his heart at her feet was
like badly healed scar in the doctors
life. 1t had apparently passed out Of
her recollection.
She gave him her hand with a smile
of good comradeship. and together
they made their usual morning round
of the ward. Near an empty cot at the
end she paused.
Little Lad is sitting up" she said,
smiling with the triumph of one who
had won a hard battle and led the way
outside.
By a sunny window he sat in his
wheel chair. little figure even for
eight years, in the loose hospital suit
of gray flannel. The doctor himself
had brought him there nearly three
months before, IL shapeless bundle. He
had been plucked from under horses
hoofs in the street. No one seemed to
care to lay any special claim to him,
and yet he was undoubtedly the child
of refined parents.
For weeks Garst and Jean Lindsay
small and apparently superfuous life.
There were times when the doctor gave
up hope, and nothing but the strength
of inherent motherhood in the woman
seemed to keep the child alive.
"How is the little lad?' the doctor
would ask as he entered the ward
morning after morning, and Little
Lad he became to every one in the
hospital.
AS he took feeble hold on life again
his whole starved little heart went out
and laid hold on these two people, his
doctor and nurse, with mightiness of
love which almost hurt him ut times.
He would lie in his cot and, watching
the doctor while he made his rounds,
think that he must be very like the
man, about whom Nurse Lindsay had
told him. who once lived upon the
earth and. healed all the sick people
and loved little children 1t never oc-
CURED to him to associate the beauti-
full story with the name he had so Of
ten heard in blasphemy in the street.
But he looked at his own doctor and
felt that it must be true.
A light might suddenly have been
turned on inside the small body, so
swift was the radiance which flooded
his face as Jean and her companion
came in sight. Garst sat down near
the wheel chair and, taking one small
hand, beat it softly against his broad
open palm.
Next week." he said, IL am going
to run away into the country with
Little Lad for a few days before-be-,
fore l go abroad"
Jean Lindsay could not quite conceal
the start his words gave her, but she
held her voice steady.
Then the long contemplated course
at Bonn is to be an accomplished fact
after all" she said.
Yes" The doctor did not raise his
eyes.
Little Lad had looked from one to
the other In vague bewilderment.
"But, first of ALL" Garst went on,
Little Lad and l will have perhaps a
whole week at splendid place know
of, where there are tall pine trees and
a big lake"
He was watching the boys face and
saw how the delight which his words
called up became slowly clouded.
will she come toow He motioned
with his hand toward the nurse.
Garst remained silent The child
turned to Jean. s.-..'
won't you come, tooY' he pleaded.
He read the negation in her face
even before she slowly shook her head
and flung himself toward the doctor.
make her come! Make her come.
toor' he begged passionately.
Jean stopped hurriedly and, putting
back the damp hair from his forehead.
kissed it,
"I'm afraid that would be quite i'm
possible, Little Lad" she said quietly
and moved away down the corridor.
But even as she did so an intense
physical WEAKNESS seemed to have de-
scended upon her. She felt sitting In
the bright glare of the morning sun
shine and, putting up her hand, push
ed the heavy hair back from her fore
head. When she had passed out Of
sight Of the doctor and Little Lad. she
turned and leaned against an open win
dow. In place of the bare red brick
walls of the nurses home opposite she
seemed to see vista Of tall trees, with
the doctor and Little Lad lying on the
soft pine needles beneath and the wa
ter tapping idly at their feet u
A swift, intense desire to be one of
the little party rose within her For
the first time in her life she was weary
of her work. More than she had ever
wanted anything she wanted to get
away and be taken care of, even as
Little Lad would be, by this strong, self
reliant man.
AS she stood there an ambulance
turned in at the gate, and Jean Lind
say sighed protestingly. She knew that
If there was to be an operation she
would be sent for, and her whole being
rose in a quick revolt Of weakness ana
inadequacy. She felt that the smell of
ether just then would strangle her and
put out her hands as though she would
push away the burden of responsibility
those firm white hands to which |
strong men had chung in agony and
within whose warm clasp more than
one little form had grown cold.
She tried to realize as she stood |
there what her life would be when |
Dexter Garst went out of it.
"A month from now" she said, and
her strong lip quivered-"a month from |
now he will he i'm Germany and 70