Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-10-17

and can't 60 to Pittsburg tomorrow.
Tell him-oh, hang 1t. II could only
get on the wire for half a minutev'
you must not excite yourself" said
the nurse calmly. you could not pos
sibly travel to Pttsburg tomorrow.
You must be quiet and not worry"
Derrick stared at her. She thought
he was Barker. And her eyes were
dark blue, almost hazel, and she was
young.
Il will send the message tonight"
she said and walked away.
And Derrick smiled for the first time
In many days and went to sleep with
out the gray void around him. She
would keep her word. Yates would at
tend to the rest. They would be able
to follow up the tip. He wondered
vaguely which of the boys would be
sent to Pittsburg to cover the barons'
end of the story, and then he smiled
again, remembering the little nurse
with the close curved lips and dark
blue eyes who thought that he was
Barker.
The next day Yates came TO see him,
Yates himself, clean shaven and cold
blooded, but with the glimmer of APP
probation in his eyes as he saw Barker
two beds away.
at went In this morning" he told
Derrick. There has been general
kickup over Barker's disappearance.
Some said he was dead. But they
thought he was simply laying low, to
turn up high and dry at the meeting.
Now they've sent Strogund since the
extra came out"
Derrick grinned happily. He had had
an idea 1t would be that way. And
Barker was watching them, grimly.
Understandings, his face looking odd
ly incongruous in its halo of white
bandages. Yates nodded to him.
Badly knocked out, BarkerT he
asked pleasantly.
But not done for yet" muttered
Barker.
When he rose to go Yates gripped
Derrick's hand.
lit was very decent, timely thing
to do, Derry" he said. THE old man
will appreciate it."
That was all, but 1t left Derrick radi-
antly joyous. When the nurse came
around he couldn't help 1t. He had to
tell some one. and he told her while
she dressed his head. 1t was after 9
then. At she went OF duty for the
night When he had finished she was
smiling, too, and her eyes were bright.
II am glad for you. Yesterday l
thought that you were Barker, and l
didn't want to send the message.
am from Pittsburg. and we know about
Barker there" she added seriously.
"But you sent itf"
81 knew 1t didn't matter so long as
he couldn't CO."
Derrick laughed. The dear, delicious,
foolish denseness of her. Didn't mat
ter! He looked over at Barker and re-
joiced over the smashed head that did
not matter.
''They had an extra out again to-
night" the little nurse was saying.
1.-THE strike has been settled by arbi-
tration, but the strikers won"
God bless Strogundr' said Derrick
fervently, and Barker heard him. The
nurse added gently:
"You are to leave in the morning,
perhaps before l come on. Don't work
hard at first and you'll be all right.
Goodby."
whats your name, nurse from Pitts
burgT' asked Derrick, looking up at
the dark blue eyes.
She flushed. 1t is against the rules
for nurses to fiirt with fellow nurses
or doctors in Bellevue, but they have
not passed any rule barring patients as
yet.
Helen" she said-"Helen Hay
ward"
Mines Derrick-Wilfred Derrick"
He lowered his voice so that Barker
could not hear. I'm going to see you
Nurse Helen. after | get out of this
place tomorrow, because you and |
broke that strike. You don't know
how we did it, but l do, and l think
you're brick. May /. Nurse Helen?
YES" said Nurse Helen under her
breath. And Derrick held one of the
slim white hands close to his lips and
kissed il. There was no one TO deny
him, for Bellevue had not barred love
from the patients yet, and Barker was
looking the other way.