The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-11-14

ia "a mysterious nurse whose
EAgVAN fame had gone up with
W NJ the soldiers into Tilad
~ pass arrived with others
to take charge of the Red Cross hospi
tai on the day following the battle she
found the man she had been longing to
see for many weary, heartsick months.
She found him dying.
To the surprise Of the enthralled
command, she fell in a dead swoon
when she looked upon the pallid face
of Graydon Bansemer. She had gone
eagerly from one pallet to another.
coming upon his near the last. One
glance was enough. His face had been
in her mind for months, just as she
was seeing it now. she had lived in
horror of finding him cold in death.
1t was Teresa Velasquez who first
understood. She knew that Bansemer's
n woman had found him at last. Her
heart leaped with hatred for one brief
instant, then turned soft and contrite.
If she had learned to care for the big
American herself during the hard days
when he had been so tender, she also
had learned that her worship was
hopeless. She had felt his yearning
love for another. Now she was look
ing upon that other. While the attend
ants were bending over their uncon-
scious companion the Spanish girl
stood guard over the man who had
been her guardian, the man whose life
was going out before her miserable.
exhausted eyes.
Jane Cable stirred with returning
life. Teresa was quick to see that
words, not medicine, would act as the
restorative. She went swiftly to the
American girls side and. clasping her
hands, cried sharply into her half con-
scious ears:
"He is not deadl He is alive! He
needs your
The effect was magical. Life leaped
into James eyes, vigor into her body.
She recovered from the swoon as inys-
teriously as she had succumbed to it,
Her sudden breakdown had puzzled
her companions. 1t is true that she
was new in the service; she had seen
but little of death and suffering; but,
with all that, she was known to pos
sess remarkable strength of purpose
and fortitlde. That she should col
lapse almost at the outset Of her OPP
|pOrtunlties was the Ource Of wonder
and no little contempt among her fell
low workers. The words of the strange
girl in mems clothing opened the way
to smart surmises. 1t was not long be-
fore every one in the command knew
that the beautiful Red Cross nurse
was not wearing the garb Of the yoca-
ton for the sake of humanity alone;
in fact, it was soon understood that she
did not care a straw for the rest of
mankind so long as Graydon Bansemer
needed her ministrations.
Ignoring the principles Of the cause
she served, she implored the doctors to
confine their efforts to one man among
all Of them who suffered; she pleaded
and stormed In turn, finally Offering
famulous bribes in support of her de-
mands. For the time being she was
half crazed with fear and dread, woe
fully unworthy Of her station, partially
divorced from reason
The more desperately wounded were
left in the village with an adequate
guard, the rest Of the command de-
parting with Major March. A TEN
porary hospital was established in the
convent. There were two doctors ant
four or five nurses, with a dozen sol
diers under command Of Lieutenant
Bray. 1t was while the apparently
dead Bansemer was being moved Il
the improvised hospital that Jane
presented herself. d|istraught with fear
to the young southerner who hat
so plainly shown his love for her. She
pleaded with him to start at once for
Manila with the wounded, supporting
her extraordinary request with the
opinion that they could not receive
proper care from the two young sur
geons. Bray was surprised and dis.
tressed; he could not misunderstood
her motive,
He had gone on caring for her with
out suspectlng that there was or hac
been another man. She had not con
6ded in him during those weary. pleas
ant months since they left San Fran
cisco behind them. 10 learn the true
situation so suddenly and unexpected
" stunned his senslbiIlties. He fount
difficulty in grasping the Importance Of
the change an hour or two had made