The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-24
Copyright 1903 By the BObbs Merrill Co
CHAPTER v.
Nurse and Patient.

! When Dominick returned to con-
seriousness he lay for a space looking
directly In front Of him, then moved
his head and let his eyes sweep the
walls. They were alien walls Of white
plaster, naked Of all adornment. The
light from a shaded lamp lay across
one Of them In a soft yet clear wash
OF yellow, so clear that he could see
that the plaster was coarse.
There were few pieces Of furniture
in the room, and all new to him. A
bureau of the old-fashioned marble
topped kind stood against the wall OPP
posite. The lamp that cast the yellow
light was on this bureau; it's globe,
translucent gold reflection revealed
in liquid clearness in the mirror just
behind. 1t was not his own room nor
Berny's. He turned his head farther
on the pillow very slowly, for he
seemed sunk in an abyss Of suffering
and feebleness. On the table by the
beds head was another lamp, fold
ed newspaper shutting it's light from
his face. and here his eyes stopped.
A woman was sitting by the foot Of
the bed, her head bent as If reading.
He stared at her with even more in
tentness than he had at the room.
The glow Of the lamp on the bureau
was behind herhe saw her against
1t without color or detail, like a shad-
ow thrown on a sheet. Her outlines
were sharply defined against the illu-
mined stretch Of plaster-the arch of
her head, which was broken by the
coils Of hair on top, her rather short
neck, with some sort of collar binding
1t, the curve Of her shoulders, round
ed and broad, not the shoulders Of a
thin woman. He did not think she
was his wife, but she might be, and
he moved and said suddenly in a
husky voice:
| What time is it?"
The woman started, laid her book
down, and rose. She came forward
and stood beside him, looking down
the filaments Of hair round her head
blurring the sharpness Of it's outline
He stared up at her, haggard and in
I tent, and saw it was not his wife. II
l was a strange woman with a pleasant
smiling face. He felt immensely re
lieSed and said with a hoarse careful
ness Of utterance:
What time did you say 1t is?''
"a few minutes past five," she an
swered. you've been asleep"
Have II" he said. gazing immov
ably at her. What day is it?"
Thursday" she replied. You came
here last night from Rocky Bar. Per
haps you don't remember"
Rocky Bari" he repeated vaguely
cropping through a haze Of memory
WAS 1t only yesterday? Was It onl,
yesterday I left San Francisco?"
II don't know when you left Sal
Francisco" the newspaper cracke
and bent a little, letting a band o
light fall across the pillow. She leane
down, arranging it with careful hands
looking from the light to him to Sc
If 1t were correctly adjusted.
Whenever you left San Francisco,
II she said, you got here last nigh
y They brought you here, Perley an
some other men in the sleigh. The
II found you in the road. You were hal
lr frozen"
What Is this placer"
Antelope" said the woman. "Pel
Id ley's Hotel at Antelope"
r "Oh, yes" he answered with an al
Of weary recollection, II was goin
to walk there from Rocky Bar, bu
IN the snow came down too hard. and tn
e. wind-you could hardly stand agains
1t! 1t was terrible pull. Perley
Hotel at Antelope. OF course. I kno'
all about 1t. l was here last summe
for two weeks fishing
She stretched out her hand for
glass. across the top Of which a boo
, rested. He followed the movemer
with a mute fixity.
- This Is your medicine" she sal
taking the book off the glass. "Yo
!. were to take it at five but didn't liz
to wake you"
She dipped a spoon into the glas
and held 1t out to him. But the youn
man felt too i'll to bother with med
cine and, as the spoon touched h
lips, he gave his head a slight jer
and the liquid was split on the cou
terpane. She looked at 1t for ruef'
moment, then said, as II with gathe
ing determination.
But you must take It. I think Pc
haps I gave it wrong. / ought to hay
lifted you up. It's easier that way
and before he could answer 81
slipped her arm under his head al
raised 1t, with the other hand settir
the rim Of the glass against his lip
He swallowed a mouthful and felt n
arm sliding from behind his head. F
had a hazy consciousness that De
fume came from her dress, and Il
the Rrst time he wondered who 81
was. Wondering thus, his eyes aga
- followed her hand putting back Il
glass, and watched 1t, white in Il
gush Of lamplight, carefully replaciI
the book. Then she turned towaI
him with the same slight, soft smil
who are you?" he said, keepil
his followed eyes hard on her.
I'm Rose Cannon" she answere
- Rose Cannon from San Francisco
ooh, yes" with a movement Of col
~ prehension, the name striking a cho
Of memory. Rose Cannon from S;
Francisco, daughter OF Bill Canno
at OF course l know"
He turned his head away from b
and said dryly and without interes
Il thought It was some one else. "
She bent down and said, speakil
slowly and clearly as though to