The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-30

hope you will soon be strong and well-and I will think over your plan while you are gone.
 Once in her room she went to her wardrobe for her one gala day dress, for, to celebate the be ginning of her weeks holiday. she had promised to go with John Martin to the theatre. There was a tap at the door, and one of the nurses looked in.
 "Seems to me you are doing the so- ciety act with q vengeance tonight. Here's a big box of violets for you, thought you said 1t was a mere news paper man you were going with?''
 Mary RyIand opened the box, flush of pleasure on her face.
 'Oh. he's a dear! He always thinks of the little things that please"
 When she pinned on her hat, she looked in the mirror at the yiolets, fresh and sweet against the soft gray of her gown.
 If ] promise to marry him when he cones back from Palm Beach can have violets every day if I want them" ." was the thought that ran through her mind, but 1t was in a hazy, indefinite way. mixed with an idea that to buy violets herself would not give her so much pleasure as to have some one thinkNto buy them for her.
 You are a vigorous bit of the out side world" she said when she met Martin in the reception room and they started for the car.
 And you are the best bit of this world and a promise of the next" he said. catching the end of her chiffon scarf that was falling from her shoulder and throwing 1t carefully around her throat My dear child. you take care of everybody on earth except yourself. It's spring, of course, but the air Is SO chilly you ought to keep that lace stuff on your chest covered.
 She laughed happily-walking be- side him with light, springy steps.
 You treat me as if were an ire sponsible child that needed watching" |"
 ''As for watching you--I always do that--you must have known for months that I'd like nothing better than talk ing care of you always. There wouldn't be much luxury to offer you there would be plenty of love but want you to have everything. Yester- day I chased all over town for a story that the chief wanted and was lucky enough to get 1t exclusively. The old man said 1t was worth five hundred to the paper and he nearly knocked the breath out of me by handing me a check. The very first thing I thought of little girl. when I got calm enough to think. was that five hundred would furnish a flat. Could you be content to live in tiny flat and trust me to take care of you as best l could?" neither of them saw the cab drawn by madly frightened horse dashed around the corner.
 When she recovered consciousness. she was on a seat in a corner drug store. with John Martin bending anxi- ously over her.
 Drink all this,'" he commanded. taking the glass from the druggist. T believe your arm Is broken, dear, and feel murderous enough to smash every cab in the city to kindling wood"
 She smiled faintly
 T think you had better leave one whole one, and call 1t to take me back to the hospital"
 In the cab he placed her arm, accord ing to her directions, in a position that would give her as little pain as pos- sible, then drew her head against his shoulder.
 Poor little girl" he sair. com miseratingly, "this is a sorry ending for the pleasant evening l hoped you were going to have"
 She sat in silence, and unconscious ,ly her face nestled Into more com fortable position on his shoulder His aim hkld her. to break, as much as possible, the joltipg of the eah, Still half dazed and not wholly recovered from her fatntness her mind, with a peculiar reflex action, ran over and supplemented the thoughts of the day.
 "John," her voice was faint and sleepy, " rather live in the tiny flat than to roll in a chair on the sands at Palm Beach forever"