The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-21
The EVENING STORY
Doctor 1dorton's New Role.
(By Agnes Booth. )


Clair Thurston sat at the we1l-ap
pointed breakfast table, staring wildly
at the headlines of the newspaper in
her brothers hand.
"Dick, Dickl" she gasped, sis that
true?"
''What?" turning the paper wonder
fully, "Oh, about the flight over the
tower of Pisa? OF course, there's no
question about it. And I tell you,
Sis" he continued enthusiastically,
we're only just beginning. What
seems so wonderful now will be mere
But Clair had gone.
Whats the use of talking sense or
science to a girl!'' was Dicks offended
soliloquy.
Alone in her room, Clair reviewed
the six wretched months that had
passed since she had seen Brant Ford
Il thought he would come back,
she murmured miserably, i've tried
to make believe I didn't care, but
there's no one but Brant for me. and
oh, what an imbecile I've been!'
They had been engaged. and to the
light-hearted girl it had all seemed de-
liciously funny. Then had come the
time when Brant asserted himself.
This is not the first time that you
have sent me away, Clair" he said
gravely, but this time it is final. I
shall not come back
Joined laughingly, you know you can't
stay away. I'll tell you, Brant, you
come back when you have sailed your
air-ship over the tower OF Pisa"
Halfway down the steps he turned
at the sound of her merry voice.
'Oh Brant" she called teasingly,
''I'll make it easier for you. You need
mt fly. personally. you know-wings
would be so inappropriate tt you, with
your temper-but if anyone should
accomplish the feat, I'll humbly kneel
at your feet"
She laughed as he turned back at
the front of the terrace, and she called
out gaily Forget me, Brant, and in
vent an acceptance
She recalled the unhappy days and
evenings that she had passed watch
ing and waiting for him to come. Then
had come the shocking news of the
motorcar accident, in which Brant
Ford had been nearly killed, and later
the dreadful tidings that his eyes had
been injured-that he would never see
again.
She had never heard from him d.
rectly. She feared to write to him,
knowing that other eyes must read
her words. And she wasn't sure that
he cared.
She wondered if he remembered her
last teasing words. That which had
seemed to her so impossible then had
been accomplished. Somehow. in some
way that must be made to bring
Brant back to her.
But he could not read. she thought
despondently, and perhaps no one
was even yet too i'll to. Then a ray
of Highland comfort came to her, and
she sprang up Joyously, and ran to the
telephone
ssBack Bay. 21s4s, please"
SIS this Doctor Norton %
els Mr. Rrant Ford one of yollr Da-
tients p"
"comes to you daily Ger treatment.
did you say?"
'0h. no, I just wanted to he certain
want my eyes examined, they have
been troubling me lately Could you
give me an appointment for this after
noon?"
''Oh, thank you. viii be there
promptly at two"
She hung up the receiver, adding de-
terminedly, "And I'll wait there until
Brant comes If I have to pretend to
faint in order to hold the fort!'
Despite her bravado, she was thor
oughly frightened when the great spe-
cialist pronounced roughly. There's
nothing the matter with your eyes,
Madam, except that you've done your
best to cry them out of your head.
What's the trouble?"
To her own establishment, she an
SWerec meekly, ike a Schoolgirl, II
uuarreled with my sweetheart"
A faint smile turned the corners of
the stern mouth.
well. make up with him and save
your eyes,
sprang forward hastily.
"Oh, don't make me go until he
comes-that's why camc-it's Brant
Ford
The great doctor hesitated. After a
second he said kindly, IT am sorry,
Miss Thurston, but I cannot let you
stay. I must ask you not to meet Mr..
Ford yet. Much depends upon his
nervous condition"
s.Oh. Doctor Norton, couldn't I just
see him? I'll promise not to speak one
Word!'
He smiled into the beautiful, plead
ing face.
very well, sit there. in the corner.
and don't even breathe
Several other cases were examined,
and then the doctor came to her side
Il am truly sorry thai I cannot let
YOU speak to Mr.. Ford. Miss Thurs
ton" he said gently. but If there is
some brief message you could write,
for me to read to him-that is, if
think it wise
and her sensitive face flushed. How
could she write anything-the only
words she wanted to write were i'm
possible-then she held out her hand
for the card and pencil and wrote rap
idly.
The doctor read silently.
THAT seems absolutely harmless"
he pronounced judicialIy- IT see moth
ling in that to excite him.
When Brant, pale and thin, with
bandaged eyes, was led into the room,
the trembling girl could hardly recog-
nize the stalwart young fellow Of six
months before.
you aren't gaining" declared the
doctor. falf-angrily. Il can't do what
| I want to do with your eyes until your