The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-19

Mr.. Fountain, as | suppose this was
what was distressing you, | let you
saw it; but [ will hear not another
word until you get well, and then if
you must, you may speak freely
How you can bear TO wait on me
is what 1 don't understand, And Of
all strange turns of fate that which
made you my nurse here and the
time Christmas is the strangestl You
are sure you We forgiven me, Miss Wei
comet
"Freely-fully," she said ''I knew
part in the breaking up OF our home
and all that has followed -
'iWhat don Z | owe youp'
"You owe me getting off my hands
as soop as possible; the doctor was so
much pleased with you this morning.
We no doubt he II be dismissing you
in short order.
To her surprise, the Young man s
face grew long.
"Dismiss mel To what? Not to
the tender mercies Of Mrs. Wybrow at
my lodging, | hope. and they certainly
won u let me take the Journey to my
aunt in New Orleans. / wonder Just
how long ] could induce old Blcnner-
hasset to keep me here''
''Not a minute after you arc MT to
be turned out, ~ she said. laughing
''Here's s your lunch coming, and after
it, if you re very good, III read you
to sleep with a new novel somebody mas
lent me.
Fountain settled himself luxurious.ly
upon his pillows TO watch her MINIS
terinp to him. In her thin white bodice,
her vigorous form seemed to hlm more
rounded, more beautiful than before.
She had lost nothing Of her active
grace. Her clear. brilliant complexion
The thick growing blonde hair, were
Il charm to his weary eyes. The touch
of her cool skilled hands seemed To
carry health into his veins. Above all
her patience. good temper and freedom
from sentimentality, appealed 10 hls ad,
miration. lnvoluntarily, he compared
her with the girls who were TO have
been of the house party from which
his illness had caused him TO fall out.
all of whom had written him little airy
notes OF sympathy and congratulatlon,
for the young Southerner had not failed
to win for himself high place as a
favorite i'm the circle of his friends,
Not one of those daughters of luxury
and fashion he decided was fit TO be
set upon Cecilia Welcomes pedestal.
Beside her true womanhood. they were
mere dolls of wax, porcelain or plas.
ter. as the case might be. He wondered
his little sentimental skirmishing with
certain beautiful daughter Of solvent
father, both of whom had shown him
marked favor among the men who
sought her smiles He felt, now, as
he lay dependent upon Cecilia Wei
comes superb strength and vlgor TO
WOO back the sluggish stream of life
into his veins, that with her so close
to him he was content to be laid low.
"And when | think what blamed
idiot | was TO wish you hadn't been a
nurse! Why, i IN inst living on the
strength ! get from yours!
a freak OF invalid fancy! said
Miss Welcome, when he allowed one or
two such impressions of feeling TO es.
cape him, but they touched her, never
theless.
Again. Christmas cve'
The third night after the operation
Cecilia, who had passed many hours
in an armchair beside her patient. saw
with relief that he was falling into q
comfortable doze. He had been tired
and restless through the day, and lil
then there had been no time FOR her
TO indulge in the musings evoked. by
this strange reunion of two alien hives
in common bond of closest interest
For the moment he was actually her
all-in-all. Every pulse OF her body beat
with tender anxiety for him. He had
gone To sleep holding on like baby
TO n sprig Of mistletoe begemmed with
pale green translucent berries some one
had given to Miss Welcome handed on
by her to him. and she smiled com
passionatcly mt his poor little celebra-
tion of the season.
Soon, if all went well, they would
part again. and she told herself 1t was
, Il ~ mi q
hundreds Of life dramas enacting about
them behind the walls of the ovcrcrowd-
ed city this Christmas eve, there could
he two mortals more bcrett OF taWly
ties than they. None was there 70 old
either away from the cherries routine
of the hospital into the warm area OF
family reunion. Strangers, strangers
everywhere. and he for the moment
helpless and dependent on her care.
What wonder that her heart gave Il
leap of something moro than sympathy
something she dared not own, ana
strove fcrcely TO reprcssl Letting her
bcad fan back. she tried to find for.
pctfulness in sleep. She had early re-
solved that rs soon as she had hded
him over the danger period she would
RESIGN the case into other hands; and
even then recognized, 10 her surprise
something of paug at the idea OF do
ing SO Why should this obvious Sc
quel of their present relationship now
give her such pain! He would, of
necessity, 90 out into n larger world
than hers: would soon forget her utter
ly. while she would plod on using brain
and nerve and energy in her chosen
service TO suffering humanity, till her
best years should he past and there
was place for her only in insignificant
rctreat. If they had met under normal
conditions. might not the strong draw.
ing together Of their sympathics have
borne for her better things?
Pshaw'' said to herself Cecilia
Welcome, shaking off these elusive fan
cies with contempt. I" \ poor creature
of nurse am |, and poor place this
to indulge in sentimental dreams.
Very tired. she insensibly lost con.
sciousuess. aroused into sudden broad
wakefulncss ny "A smell of something
burning, simultaneously, the door
opened and nurse occupying the ad-
Joining room with patient mt hcr
head inside, speaking in low, agl-
tatcd tone.
Van buI bnftnr 0pf Nuur mt lent