Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1907-10-03
case open on the floor, and across vae


-d'ngy velvet of the seat lay the child.
Weldon turned quickly.
at is malignant diphtheria. Are you
afri i'd"
She shook her head, her eyes grow
ing soti with pity Ms she watched the
little head tossing from side to side
and heard the choking gasps. For the
first time Agatha understood
Can | help your
The smile thai lit his dark face was
her reward.
Il would not have asked 1t. but /
would be only too thankful If you
would. Get that alcohol lamp started.
Thes, instruments must be sterilized."
Agatha obeyed losing all sense Of
strangeness in the surroundings as
Weldon issued his orders and those
short gasps grew more labored. With
the porter's assistance, he placed the
child on a little table borrowed from
the sleeper, then, looking steadily into
the girls eyes, for the first time called
her by name-"Agatha, try TO remem-
Der that this is absolutely necessary,
that the child Is unconscious and does
not feel the pain. BE ready to give
me the instruments as | call for them.
and don't let q thought of his suiferin /,
trouble you" Then to the women who
were crowding around, Take th,
mother to the other end of the car
and keep away from here"
The baby throat was barred, and the
knife flashed in Weldon's hand-anoth-
er fash, The sponge" and the steady
fingers pressed the wound apart "Now
the tube and place your fingers here"
Agatha obeyed. blind and deaf to all
but Weldon $ low toned command The
slow minutes dragged out Il lifetime,
while she stood there and Weldon
sutured and bandaged, the play of the
strong white fingers holding her fas-
cinateI
Look He pointed to the small
face on which the awful blue gray hue
was giving place to a natural pallor.
HE is breathing easily now, but the
next question is the nursing. You see
the mother!' and he nodded toward
y
that occupied the center of the sympa-
thizing group. HE will die unless
he has the best of care. Poor little
wretch! 1t may be a cruel kindness to
bring him back, but one forgets all
that In the heat of battle" He smiled
down into her eyes. The baby stirred
and moaned, and In the girls heart the
instinct of all motherhood reused in
answer. 40 you think she would let
us take him and care for him?'
''Us"-Weldon' heart gave Il mighty
ieap-"let us? She will have to, If ]
say so, but YOU
Never mind about me- II want
to-"
When the small patient awoke to his
suffering. there was little time for sen
timent During the long day, while
they lay snowbound Weldon and Aga
tina batted for the child's life. Then
the train sped on its way while the
mother whiled away the interval with
Intellectual trips from car to ear until
Weldon babe her stay away altogether
until the crisis was passed He wired
ahead for an ambulance, and they
went direct to the hospital. The worst
was over. and they could safely leave
him to the nurses, but Agatha's eyes
were wet as they passed out into the
sunshine. She had grown to love the
small thing that had depended so ut
terly upon her care.
Weldon took the seat beside her as
he gave the order ITO the Palace no
tel The Lairds were stopping there
His hand closed over hers. Agatha,
It was just such a case as this that
held me that night-worse, the only
child of widowed mother, and it
died. | could not leave that dying
child to send a message, and when |
would have explained later you would
not hear me. You have felt that /
placed my profession before you. You
could not know then, but now
The brown eyes met his, bright
through the mist of unshed tears,
Nov | understand"