Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-10-17
Nurse Helen
By lola FORESTER
Copyright, 1906, by Ruby Douglas
By lola FORESTER

her was very haZy.
There had been the fight outside of
Kid Murray's. He remembered that,
every detail of it. For nearly n week
he had been waiting for ii to come off,
on tip from the union secretary. And
II had all come true. The very night
that Barker had landed from Pitts
burg they had prepared his reception
made before the coal barons. He had
been faithless. Barker had. He had
dallied and parleyed. and dined ana
hobnobbed and, as Murray said. play
ed the fool generally, and the wine of
II all had made him heady. and this
while thousands of strikers waited Oh
his word and their children aud wives
waited for daily bread.
1t was not wise of Barker. Even
Derrick could see that, and Derrick
was merely reporter for what Murray
called the pink sheet" So the night
that Barker returned to make his ex-
planatory address in Central hall Der
rick was on hand to see the fun. He
saw it. Not only that, but he was
right down in the middle OF II, and
when the boys made dash for Barker
as he tried to glide out the back win
dow he went with them, not knowing
exactly why, but crazy with the sight
of the running fox, like the rest Of the
hounds.
They caught him outside of Muir
rays, and those who could not get
their hands on him began to throw
things Some of the things went
ed and Barker had been thrown up by
the tide into an ambulance Derrick,
the pink sheet" reporter, was beside
him with a battered Uranium and a
family riotous sense Of victory, as he
dropped into unconsciousness, OF hav-
ing got beat on the other papers
Out the beat never came out be-
sause for days the pink sheet re-
porter lay up at Bellevue, and the
world spun round him in gray circles
ike a view Of the nth heaven. Then
gradually out Of the circling grayness
he distinguished one shape that came
and went with more tangibility than
the other dreams. And one morning
he opened his eyes and saw two real
objects clearly, without the gray Aim.
They were Nurse Helen and Barker.
Barker lay couple Of beds away
ffom him. He could see the face on
the pillow. The redness had left II,
and some of the unctuous mildness.
The outline of the profile looked harsh
and almost forcible against the white
pillow And he was asleep.
Derrick glanced up at the nurse. She
was dressing the wound on his head
swiftly, deftly, easily, impersonally. A
ward surgeon in white came by, stop
ped and bent forward to examine the
wound
HE can leave tomorrow" he said
briefly and went on.
And suddenly Derrick changed his
mind He did not want 10 leave. He
wanted to stay there forever and let
this girl in gray and white pat him
and wrap him up and ease him. Then
he thought of Barker.
as he badly hurtT he asked.
The nurse looked startled for an in
slant At least her eyes lost their i'm
personal look and met those of Der
rick. Then she understood
Eyes. He will not be out for several
weeks she said quietly.
Derrick remembered swiftly. Sew
eral weeksl That would carry him past
the 10th, and the 10th was the decisive
day in Pittsburg. And If Barker were
not on hand at that arbitration meet
ing to daily and parley and fool around
generally something definite might re-
suit There was only one man TO send
In his place, Strogund and If Strogund
went there would be no parley, no fool
Ing. He would win the strike.
"Hav4 l been here longT he asked.
The nurse was clearing the table be-
side the bed or bandages and bottles
Derrick noticed that Der hair was red
dish brown benearh her cap. He could
see the little curIs around the edges.
1.-TWO weeks ago yesterday you were
brought in" She replied. '1t is the
9th
Derrick tried to sit up in bed.
1.-TWO weeksr' he gasped and dropped
heavily back on his pillow.
"You must not do that" said the girl
severely. you have had a high fever
and are stin very weak. Don't you sit
up again."
She went on, and Derrick closed his
eyes. The grayness swept around him,
circling. wheeling. waving. until he
could not stop himself and was lost i'm
its void. When he awakened Il was
night. There were two hgures stand
ing beside him, the girl nurse and an
older woman.
''He is worse" the girl was saying.
CDR. Ingraham said he might leave to-
morrow. l will be on again at & You
had better not let them take him be-
fore Ingraham sees him again."
Nurse"
1t was barely above whisper, but
she heard and came to the bedside.
"Will yon send a telephone message