South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-24
SECOND YEAR OF
MARRIED LIFE.

Warren e. Curtis. Broad St,
New York City, New York.
Helen is very i'll. Come at once.
NJ. G.. Allen.
This was the telegram which Helen's
father, DR.. Allen, had sent. mt he
had sent it without Helen's knowledge.
For, although she had now been very
i'll for over a week, she still persistent
ly refused to let them send for War
rem.
Only she knew the cause of her i'll
ness-that midnight walk in the yard
with only her bedroom slippers and a
light wrap over her night gown.
And when she had come in, and was
feeling her way through h hall, in
the dark, her cropping and a
touched the telephone. And, at that
moment had come the wild impulse
to call up Warren in New York. She
did not stop to think of the cost-nor
of anything except hat she could end
her suspense,
For over a half hour she had stood
there. shiverfng in the dark until Cen
trail could make the connection. And
then. at last, she had heard Warren's
ain Hello" and when she asked
wildly-What was the maternity
hadn't he written-why hadn't she
heard him so long-he cut her off
furious that she should have gone to
the extra expense of this long dis
lance call.
Fell Sobbing OH the Floor.
And she had fallen sobbing on the
hall floor beneath the telephone, and
v-retched to move. When, at length,
she CROPPED her way up the stairs, she
had thrown herself On the bed by the
window, still in the dew drenched
gown.
The next morning she had had a
binding headache and a high teVer.
And vet she had risen with the deter
mination to go down TO the telephone
office and pay for her midnight call TO
New York, so it would not be put on
her fathers bill. They would then
never know that she had been des-
perate enough to try to reach Warren
i'm this way. If she could only go be-
fore breakfast, before any n saw
her and realized how i'll she was!
She had slipped on her hat and coat
and hurried down stairs, called out
to her mother who was in the dining
room:
"T'm going for a little walk before
breakfast. I'll be back in hfteen or
twenty minutes"
But as she started out. she had met
her father on the porch. In one
glance he had seen something was
why. Helen. what's the matter p
Nothing. only I didn't sleep very
we'll. and thought I'd go for a walk
before breakfast"
But you are sick, You're not aole
to go out. Come here and let me see
you"
a little air
Then the Fever Broke.
But he had taken one OF her hands
and looked at her closely. Then he
had put her TO bed and installed her
mother as nurse. Before night her
fever had been 104.
The next day she had been worse.
And when he had wanted 10 send Tor
WaTren-she had refused 20 let him.
1t was not. until now. the eight day
of her illness hat he had t~elegraphed
for Warren without her knowledge.
He had sent the message about
seven in the morning. At three
o'clock came this reply:
DIR. NJ. CT. Allen, Carterstown, Mo.
Is my coming imperative2 Almost
impossible TO leave now. Write II
condition is critical.
Warren +. Curtis.
With an uttered oath DR.. Allen
gazed at the telegram in his hand.
That Helen's husband should have
sent such an answer. Hurriedly he
wrote this reply:
Warren r. Curtis. Broad ST.
New York City. New York.
Helen critically III. Your place is
here. Drop everything Come.
NJ. G.. Allen.
Mrs. Allen came in just then and
saw the crumpled telegram on the
table before him.