Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-21


seen her before He was quite sure
that he knew-that really she was his
dream woman. for now whenever he
thought of the long vacation he was to
take travelling through all of the coun-
tries he longed to visit the face of the
woman who went with him as his wife
was none other than the beautiful hos
pital nurse whose name he did not even
know.
1T is fate" he murmured to himself
one day.
The very, next day there was new
nurse in attendance. and he was i'm
mediately alarmed
where is my nurse?' he asked anx-
iously of the older. palmer woman who
had taken her place.
Miss Beeman? She has gone" said
the woman, with pursed lips.
Gone? Not for good. She hasn't left
the institution. has she?" demanded
David from his chair by the window.
YES; she was dismissed" said the
woman. with unprofessional garrulity.
David frowned. Dismissed? What
has she done?"
"Oh, she made a mistake. She Is too
nervous and high strung for nurse
anyway. 1t is a rule Of the hospital in
such cases when the mistake is a sert-
Gus one to dismiss the offender"
And it was a fatal mistake-it cost
a life?" asked David pityingly.
"Oh, no, indeed. But it might have
proved fatal If the patient had been in
a precarious condition. But 1t is best
to avoid any such possibility" said the
new nurse coldly, and then she changed
the subject.
1t was astonishing how rapidly Da-
vid Wright recovered after the depsr-
ture of Miss Beeman. In three days
he was out Of the hospital. and as DIR.
Lawton had not visited him for several
days, the house doctor having looked
in on him the last week Of his stay,
David sought the physicians office as
soon as be left the institution.
Bidding his taxicab wait he fairly
ran up the steps to the doctors office
and fumed impatiently while he walt
ed his turn for consultation.
"Out again?" laughed the doctor.
gripping his hand warmly. II always
say Miss Beeman is the best nurse
there is. Feeling pretty At now"
Great" returned David. and then
| without realizing how strangely his at
| titude looked to the doctor who had
known him only as quiet. self con-
tanned bachelor Of thirty odd years he
burst out. "Of course you know she
was dismissed. doc!"
| Nj Af;sc
David nodded and then went on to
relate what the new nurse had told
him.
DR.. Lawton shook his head regret
fully. I'm downright sorry" he said
soberly. "Poor little Elsie. told her
she was not strong enough to tackle
nursing. Proud little witch has not
been near me since. l must go up
there and see what | can do" He
made a memorandum on his desk cal
endar, and David watched him hun
grily.
You might tell a fellow something
about her he blurted forth at last.
About Elsie Beeman?" asked the
doctor. his eyes twinkling. us fell
low interested"
''Of course. Who wouldn't be: Who
is she? Where does she live?
Elsie Beeman is the daughter of an
old friend of mine. When she finished
at boarding school she found herself
an orphan without much money ana
no ability to earn money for her
self. First she learned stenography
and went into an architect'sl Office.
Come to think of it. | believe lit was
; your office. eh?'
, Il knew I'd seen that golden hair
| and those hands somewhere" cried
. David triumphantly. II dare say she
sat down In my Office and looked at
her lovely hair and hands while die
tated to her"
: ut looks very much as If you
yearned to give her the opportunity
) to dictate to you the rest of your life. .
said the doctor.
, David Wright blushed 81 do-go
on. doctor. and tell me the rest"
she found she wasn't fitted for of
Zee work. and she wanted to try nurs
ing. so she served her apprenticeship
! and has been ut IL for several months
, There's just one profession Elsie Bee
; man is fitted to fill-shes one of the
!. women who are born TO be wives and
mothers. Her place is in the home
: David"
1--WE never had q home. and. please
: God, we'll make one together said
! David solemnly Then to himself as
he went to bis rooms be said eonyinc
ingly: ''It must come out this way aft
Is er all. for | remember ! first fancied
: my dream woman about four years
ago. and that must have been the time
that she was working for me and
didn't know IL. She made her impress
: sion upon me just the same What
q stupid dolt | was,''
Then David Wright FASTENED bis
homeward way. for DR.. Lawton had
{ promised to take him TO see Elsie Bee
!. man that evening. and there'was fail
. chance that his dream woman naigh,
= become wife In reality after all.
II