The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-04-06

tnz face as !. she would have given
hin some OF her strength so.
Better. nurse"
Yes. Hes all right, | think Isn't
be Sleeping normally now
The doctor nodded
His mothers downstairs. She can
cone up. but she won't 90 away. You Z
better 90 down ard calm her. Tell
her he's out Of danger now, but can
be seen for q day or two.
She was the only person n the Re
ception room. Plump and rather tai.
With beautiful gray hair curling around
her fresh young face, and eyes JUST
like the patients upstairs Beth caught
her breath as they looked at her BE-
seechingiy
You're Randalrs nurse, the doctor
tsIls me- Ny dear, Is he really Del
ter
"Oh, very much. The crisis Is past
and he is sleeping normally Tor me
hrst time, 90 you see how dangerous
and unvtse It would be 10 vaken Ok
startle him. And be thinks you we're
with him anyway" She took the bands
outstretched towards her, and went
on pluckily. All through the nights
he has called me mother, ana
Carol
CAROL" repeated Mrs. Sears. He
doesn't know anybody named that In
sure. Carol. don't understand al
all"
Beth vent back feeling coniorted
some way. Even his own mother didn't
know Who Carol vas. She began 70
feel that Carol vas a distinct inter-
loper il ,he family, and as il she her
sci; we're a part Of l.
The next weeks passed swiftly. AS
soon as Randall vas convalescent, ais
mother took him to the mountains, and
Beth went with them as nurse. Mrs.
| Sears said she would feel safer TO have
i her near for fear OF relapse, as Ran
dali had acted weak just as soon as ne
/ had been told he vas TO leave the hos
| pital
And the spring days stretched into
| June Beth, who had been born a
mountain girl, enjoyed every moment
Of her freedom 1t vas part OF her pa
TENTS daily regime, the long walks.
the horseback rides, the games OF ten
MS. and sleeping out OF doors. For
nearly three months they had seen
each other constantly day after day,
and when she spoke OF leaving TO go
back TO the hospital, he threatened a
relapse
Why don't you let yourself be frank
With me, nurse he said one day, as
they rode slowly toward the lodge,
You know III never let you go now
It's only part OF the typhoid
symptoms" laughed Beth Do you
know that all through your delirium
you made frantic love to me, not e2.
actly to me, either. To-Carol"
I. was out at last and she felt bet.
ter But over Randall's face there
spread first look OF bewilderment,
and then he laughed
Did call YOU Carol? It was surely
de!rium Now listen, dear, and be
fair I've been an everlasting chump.
Dad left me money with mother as
trustee. and she's been too good TO
me. I've been writing play, and
called il Carol It's q pack OF non
sense. too, and fired it before | came
down sick But suppose the thing
ran through my brain.
But you kissed my hand, and want
ed me to"
Beth hesitated.
To what"
Smooth your hair, and hold your
hands, and-and when you were near
the crisis, had to kneel beside you al
night. because you wouldn't let 90 Of
my hands
; Great Scott gasped Randall, "and
had all OF that and didn't know It
Beth, get of that pony just for min
ute. I've got TO talk to you. I've sim
ply got TO- II you don't stop, I'll have
a relapse"
Il didn't know this was an incurable
case" laughed Beth, refining up, anc
slipping from her saddle into his arms
After a minute, Randall answered:
It's chronic, nurse"
(Copyrig ht. 1914. by the Mcclure News