Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-04-11


haps you will-you might care to say
goodby.'
do you care to have me?"
Eyes, do
There was a silence, and when his
voice sounded again it had altered.
Il do not think you would care to
see me, Sylvia. I-they say | AMI
have changed-since my-since a slight
illness. am not over it yet, not cured
not very we'll yet, and little tired
you sea little shaken. / am leaving
! New York toto try once more to be
cured. expect to be well-one way or
another
stephen, where are you going? An
swer mer'
Il can't answer you"
''Is your illness serious?'
"A-it is-it requires some-some
care"
Her fingers frightened around the re-
ceiver whitened to the delicate nails
under the pressure. Mute, struggling
with the mounting impulse, voice and
lip unsteady, she still spoke with re-
Straint:
"You say you require care? And
what care have you? Who is there
with you? Answer mev'
"Why, everybody-the servants.
have care enough"
"Oh, the servants! Have you a ply
sician to advise youY
''Certainly-the best in the world.
Sylvia, dea-Sylvia, / didn't mean to
give you an impression'-
"Stephen, will have you truthful
| with me! / know perfectly well you
are ILL.,. If l could only-if there was
something, some way Listen: | am
4 am going to do something about 1t,
and don't care very much what dor
''What sweet nonsense!' he laughed,
but his voice was no steadier than
, hers.
evil you drive with me?" she asked
mpulsively, ''some afternoons"
"Sylvia, dear, you don't really want
me to do it. Wait, listen: 1--we got
to tell you that-that I'm not fit for it.
I've got to be honest with you. l am
not fit, not in physical condition to go
out just yet. I've really been i'll for
| weeks. Plank has been very nice to
me. want to get well. l mean to
| try very hard. But the man you knew
-iS-changed."
"Changed?"
''Not in that wayr' he said in slow
voice.
'H-how, then?" she stammered, all
J a-thrill.
''Nerve, gone almost. Going to get
it back again, of course. Feel a mil
lion times better already for talking
with you."
"Do-does it really help"
''It's the only panacea for me-" he
said, too quickly to consider his
words.
''The only oneY' she faltered. do
you mean to say that your trouble
illness-has anything to do with
''No, no! l only
"Has it, StephenY'
"No!'
Because if thought
"Sylvia, I'm not that sort! You
mustn't talk to me that way. There's
nothing to be sorry for about me. Any
man may lose his nerve and, If he is
a man, go after it and get it back
again. Every man has a fighting
chance. You said it yourself once
that man mustn't ask for a fighting
chance; he must take it. And I'm go
ing to take it and win out one way
| or another"
! 'What do you mean by another
Stephen"
81 Nothing It's a phrase"
"What do you mean? Answer me?"
"Its a phrase he said again; mo
meaning, you know"
'Stephen, Mr.. Plank says that you
are lame"
'What did he say that for?" demand
| ed Siward wrathfully.
81 asked him. Kemp saw you on
crutches at your window, so asked
Mr.. Plank, and he said you had dis
carded your crutches too soon and had
fallen and famed yourself again. Are
you able to walk yet?'
Eyes, of course"
"Outdoors
"A-no, not just yet"
''In other words, you are practically
bedridden."
''No, no! | can get about the room
very WELL"
"You couldn't go downstairs for an
! hours drive, could you?"
"Can't manage that for awhile" he
said hastily.
ooh, the vanity of you, Stephen ST.
| ward! The vanity! Ashamed to let
/
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