The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-14
THE PERFECT CURE
by DONALD BLAIR.

| cIict III u uelpieSS sOTt Oh way anu
followed the physician into the hall,
where she faced him with sorrowful
eyes.
Cant you do anything for the girl,
doctor?" she whispered.
He shook his head.
mot without her help, Mrs. Sar-
gent" he said gravely. III she had
the slightest desire to get better" he
paused tentatively.
That wretched affair with Ralph
| Dearing-I can speak freely to you,
Doctor Lane, because you know all
about it! OF course, no one outside
of the family knew that they were
| engaged, and Elsie was saved that
humiliation. but the shock of his jilt-
ing her and the sudden announce
ment of his marriage to Barbara Kent
| were too much for the child's sensi-
tive soul Who can blame her If she
has no desire to live?"
Pooh - fiddlesticks!" shifted the
| bluff doctor. patting Mrs. Sargent on
plump shoulder. Elsie is young
! and this is her first love affair it
must not be her last; 1t is our duty
to see to that-yes, yours and mine!
Before she grieves herself out of the
world, you and l, Mrs. Sargent, must
endeavor to create a new interest for
her-something to make her want to
live forever"
What can we do?" asked Elsie's
mother
II have an idea which l will ex-
plain later, and now, good afternoon
and don't worry!"
Early the next morning Mrs. Sar-
gent came into Elsies sickroom with
troubled face.
"Dearie, you are to have new doc
tor today" she announced when the
nurse had left the room. Doctor Lane
has been called to New York and
young Doctor Phelps is taking care of
his practice. | hope you don't mind"
Elsie shock her golden head She
didn't mind anything any more - not
since that awful day when Ralph had
called her on the telephone and nerv-
ously announced that he had just mar
ried Barbara Kent; that she must not
mind; he wasn't worth botheriIg
about, anyway. In view of his be.
havior this last remark was entirely
superfluous, but Elsie did mind. She
had just swooned away in the library,
and for weeks the doctor and her de.
voted family had tried to keep her
from drifting away into eternity.
1T doesn't matter, mother" she
whispered, and turned her face to the
wall,
AT two o'clock that afternoon Doc.
tor Phelps made bis first call at the
Sargent's pretty home.
He sat down at the bedside, scanned
the nurses report and nodded ap-
prevail Then he lifted Elsie's white
little hand and laid his strong, warm
fingers on the feeble pulse. Mean
while he regarded the pale face on
the pillow with queer expression in
his cool, gray eyes.
The nurse had taken care that Elsie
! should look charming. Miss Whelan
was middle-aged and still romantic,
which might have explained why she
had put her patient into her frilliest
dressing sacque and her daintiest lace
] cap. The blue ribbons were no bluer
than Elsie's pathetic eyes. The doc
tor realized that when the dark lashes
lifted and disclosed them.
Feeling better, eh?" breezed Doc
tor Phelps.
| Elsies eyes widened ever so slight
! ". She shook her head. II feel about
as usual" she murmured.
She didn't close her eyes again be-
cause she was interested in the vision
of a tall, broad-shouldered young man,
black haired and gray eyed, with sun
tanned face and hands, who was wear
ing white flannels. A tennis racquet
was tossed on a chair beside his white
felt hat.
"You don't look bit like a doc.
tori" she said, to her own amaze
ment.
you don't look a bit like a sick
girl" retorted Doctor Phelps, cheer.
fully.
Elsie was interested.
But l am ILL.," she protested. 81
am very, very ill-and you ought to
know it, Doctor Phelps" with growing
petulence.
That's the trouble don't see
much the matter with you, save that
you're too tired to sit up and eat a
lot Of nourishing things-and to &c
down to the club and hold your repu
tation in the singles"
Elsie sat up in bed, rose pinh
waving in her cheeks. Tennis sin
gles?" she repeated. Who Is en-
tered for the match? Not Myra Hat
field?"
The doctor nodded. Miss Hatfield
has strong hopes Of taking the cur
from you. I'm downright sorry, too
Miss Sargent. for they tell me YOU
play corking game. I'll have to tes
that heart action"
After he had applied the stetho
scope he replaced it in its case an'
looked very cheerful.
Hearts all right. Miss Sargent
Don't worry. Miss Hatfield may no
carry of the cup after all"
"She wouldn't have ghost Of |
chance If l could only get out" wa
Elsie's confident answer. when doe
! the match come on, Doctor Phelps
, I've lost all track Of time"
Not for eight weeks"
Il wonder-do you think II ! an
very, very careful that ! might b
well enough TO play7" she asked xis'