Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-14
MARCH IA, 1909.
Among the Roses
Continued from Page Twelve)

of his recovery-then the nurse
eagerly watched for any returning sign
of consciousness, and a few days later,
as she sat by the bedside, her patient
opened his eyes and asked her a ques-
ton.
II have been ill-unconscious?" he
whispered, the terrible weakness having
robbed him of his voice.
YES" she replied soothingly; but
you are improving now. You will soon
be we'll"
His eyes searched her face for long
minutes; then he said: What was 1t
made me i'll? Something was about to
happen that 1 was to have stopped; did
/ stop 1t? It was something impor-
tant, l know, though l cannot remem-
ber what-something that would not
waltz"
ignoring his questions, she strove to
interest him in other subjects by offer
ing to read to him, but he would not
be put off.
"Tell me, was 1 too late-too later"
he repeated.
Then she sat and watched, while
memory came back to him. He re-
called the cause of his accident, and the
name of Idalia was again on his lips.
'Idalia, Idalia, he Whispered aHeg, esy,
tionately forgetful of her presence till
suddenly he became aware of the news
she had imparted-that Idalia was to
marry Godfrey Lauderdale. Then a
wave of color swept his wasted fea-
lures; his nurse bent over him, afraid
of a return of the fever; but he pushed
her away, while he struggled up in bed.
"She must never marry Geoffrey Lai-
derdale-it must be stopped-it Is not
too late?" he asked her, wildly.
mo, no." she answered, although In
her own mind she was not at all sure
whether the marriage she had so un-
Willingly told him of had not already
taken Mace. sit is not too late.
"Ah!" He sighed his relief. Il can
not have been i'll long?" he asked her.
NO" she replied once more, mot
long"
Oft was not to take place imme-
diately?"
ooh, dear no." she assured him, lying
bravely.
He lay thinking, while she sat trent
bling, wondering what his next ques-
ton would be. Presently he opened his
eyes and fixed them on her.
Nurse" said he, "am L going to der
mot yet, l hope" she smiled. You
are recovering from the fever"
ITO succumb under the infiiction OF
my injuries?' he replied, reading the
truth in her countenance. You need
not fear; the news is welcome. l have
no longer any desire to live"
She sat silent, abashed, knowing not
what to say, until his voice broke In on
her musings.
Nurse" he said. will you do some
thing for me? Will you go to Idalia
and tell her-tell her 1 am dying. ASK
her If, for the sake of old days, she
will come and wish me good by. Not
that 1 should have troubled her, only
that 1 have news to impart-news of
vital importance. She must not marry
Godfrey Lauderdale. Go, go. Take
her my card, and request her to obey
the wish of a dying man. Bring her
back with you"
For two hours, three hours, the man
lay facing the door of the hospital
ward, watching for the return of the
nurse. At last she came, leading by
the hand a cloaked, shrinking figure 1t
was Idalia-Idalia in her wedding dress,
with the ring that Geoffrey Lauderdalc
had slipped on her finger only that
morning, in her pocket for this man
she had come to see must never, never
know that the ceremony had taken
place-that she was another mans wife
The nurse had told her that his life
was in the balance, and that his reason
for sending for her-Idalia-was to I'M
part to her some important news con-
cerning the man she now called her
husband. And Idalia had stolen away
between the marriage feast and prepa-
rations for the honeymoon.
Never until this moment had she
notion of who the man was that her
chauffeur had knocked down. Geoffrey
Lauderdale had undertaken the respon-
sibility of the case, the name OF the
unfortunate man never having reached
her. -,
HIIad hut known had 7 but knOWn!"