Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-10-11
Nurse Helen
By IZ0LA FORESTER
Copyright. i@s. by Ruby Douglas

he had been waiting for II to come or.
on tip from the union secretary. And
it had all come true. The very night
that Barker had landed from Pitts
burg they had prepared his reception
in memory OF the speeches he had
made before the coal barons. He had
been faithless. Barker had. lie had
dallied and parleyed and dined and
hobnobbed and, as Murray said. play
ell the fool generally. and the wine OF
it all had made him heady. and this
while thousands OF strikers waited on
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 IL. Not only that. but be was
right down in the middle OF II. and
when the boys made dash for Barker
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 vent
astray. and when the melee was clear
ed and Barker had been thrown up by
the tide into an ambulance Derrick.
the pink sheet reporter. was beside
him with n battered Uranium and n
family riotOus sense OF victory. as he
dropped into Inconsistencies. OF hav-
ing got beat" ON the other papers.
But the beat never came out. be
cause for days the pink sheet re-
porter lay up at Bellevue. and the
world spun round him In gray circles
like a view of the fifth heaven. Then
gradually out OF the eircling grayness
he distinguished one shape that came
and went with more tangibility than
the other dreams. Aud one morning
he opened his eyes AMI saw two real
objects clearly. without the gray film.
They were Nurse Helen and Barker.
Barker lay a couple OF beds away
from 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. dertly. easily. impersonally- A
ward surgeon In white came by. stop
ped and bent forward TO examine the
| wound
| ''IIe can leave tomorrow" he said
briefly and went on.
And suddenly Derrick changed his
mind He did not want TO leave He
wanted 10 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.
"Is he badly hurt?" he asked.
The nurse looked startled for an In
| stant. st least her eyes lost their i'm
| personal look and met those OF Der
| rick Then she understood
Yes. He win not be out for several
weeks" she said quietly
Derrick remembered swiftly. Sew
| cral weeks, That would carry him past
| the 10th. a1l the 10th was the decisive
| day In Pittsburg. And N Barker wero
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 20 send
In his place. Stroeund. and II Stragund
went there would be no parley. no fool
Ing. He would win the strike.
Have / been here longf" he asked
The nurse was clearing the table be-
side the bed Of bandages and bottles.
Derrick noticed that her lair was red
dish brown beneath her cap. lie could
see the little curls around the edges.
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 gaspcd and dropped
heavily back on his pillow.
You must not do that said the girl
severely. "You have had a high fever
aud are still very weak. Don't you sit
up again"
She went on, and Derrick closed his
! eyes. The grayness swept around 1 m.
circling. wheeling. waving until he
could not stop himself and was lost In
its void. When he awakened IL was
night There were two figures stand.
Ing beside him. the girl nurse and an
older woman.
"IIc IA worse" the girl was saying.
'Dr Ingraham said he might leave to
morrow. I viii be on again at 4 You
had better not let them take him be-
fore Ingraham sees him again"
Nurse"
10 was barely above whisper. but |
she heard and came Co the bedside.
"Will you send telephone message
for meT"
TO your friendsl" The nurse was
used 10 such requests. and this partic-
ulnr patient had seemed particularly
sriendless.
Yes" Derrick tried % think clearly.
to keep his grip on things before the
grayness should come again "Call up
30OS Main. ask for the city" room
for Yates Tell him that Barker II laid |
up In Bellevue with n smashed hsad |
and can't go 10 Pittsburs tomorrow |
Tell hlm-oh. hang II. II | could only
get on the wire for half n minute"
"YOu must not excite yourself" said |
the nurse calmly. "Nou could not pos
sibly travel 20 Pittsburg tomorrow. |
You must be quiet and not worry"
Derrick stared at her. She thought |
lie was Barker. And her eyes were |
dark blue. almost hazel. and she was
young
Il VIII send the message tonight,
she said and walked away.
Aud Derrick smiled FOR the FIRST time
la many days and went 90 sleep with
out the gray void around him. She
would keep her word Yates would at
tend 90 the rest. They would be able
10 follow up the tip. He wondered
vaguely which Of the boys would be
sent 10 Pitsburg 20 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 10 see him.
Yates himself. clean shaven and cold
blooded but with the glimmcr OF ap-
probation Ia his eyes as he saw Barker