The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-16

| IdlUI anu lHSCl ulduiO ohiS
about her features, but nobody COM
mented upon that fact. Even ID Zzlo
it was the privilege of young women
| to smile.
The operations completed, the pro
fessors solemnly shook hands with the
victims.
in three hours. said the middle
professor, the symptoms should be-
gin to take effect. This is lis o'clock
At 11S therefore, you will both be-
come a menace to society. At that
hour the boat will be waiting TO con-
vey you to your island home
The professors withdrew, leaving
the young victims together in the lab
oratory of the science building. Stu
ated on the seashore, in the curve OF
the wooded heights of Brooklyn, 1t
was an ideal spot for experimentation.
The hum of the great distant city
only came family to their ears.
In three hours time the vessel
would anchor off the dock to carry
them away to the South seas. there to
remain for a term of years until the
, deadly virus had been eliminated.
The young man shuddered as he
| thought of the awful fate in store for
them Now that the act was irrev-
ocable he began to think of the sac
rifice. He remembered a hundred
friendships, the college days when he
had been the heart and soul of his
set. All these memories he must leave
behind him, to go out to a savage
island with this nurse.
Yet, as he glanced at her, he began
to feel a novel interest in her that
he had never felt before. Life with
her would at least be companiOnable.
He was not so sure, now, that he had
done foolish thing.
do you regret the sacrifice, B q F
F ~ he inquired, curiously.
Not a bit, answered the young
woman
May ask why you are smiling"
She smiled more significantly That
is my secret she answered Some
day will tell you
When"
When we are alone together
But we shall never be more alone
than we are now"
81 know. But you see. A SO W P
IA, the virus has not yet begun to take
effect in YOU
81 know it hasn't. | wonder how it
will feel. They say that the first sign
is fever. wish had a shorter name
for you"
The girl still smiled at him. He was
half piqued and half indignant
Don't you begin to feel the effects
of the virus" he inquired.
Not yet" she answered. Il don't
believe ever shall,
"Why not?"
THAT is part of the secret, too, she
said.
He turned Indignantly. He had
meant to turn away. Instead of which,
to his surprise, he found that he was
standing nearer to her than he had
ever stood before And, as his arms
went cropping blindly for some mysteri-
Gus purpose he found that they had
closed about her and were holding her
fast. The harder he tried to escape
her, the more tightly he held her.
The girl made no attempt to es-
cape, but continued smiling What is
it, he whispered. And suddenly the
realization came to him.
IT'S the poison-the love virus!"
he exclaimed
The girl nodded She nodded so hard
that her wealth of hair came tum-
bling down from under the hideous
hood. He caught strand between
his fingers and pressed it to his lips
What am | doing? Why am | do
ing this" he cried rs it's it the
symptoms"
She nodded again. st begins that
way she answered
What curious disease" said the
young man, thoughtfully DO you
know. don't believe l shall really
mind being exiled with you on our
island. OF course, a woman's com.
pany is apt to prove tedious. One
doesn't expect the same intellectual
companionship that a mans company
affords. And then, | don't know that
| shall have very much to say to YOU
But you will be useful for cooking
my meals, and sometimes will tell
you things, and"
The girl for the first time uttered a
hearty laugh. The young man seemed
in daze. He passed his hand across
his forehead.
AS | was saying" he resumed "it
will be delightful helping each other
in the little things of the day. and in
the evenings We'll sit and chat bv the
camp fire and compare notes and ex-
periences-"
The silvery ripple of her mirth
seemed TO fill the room. Again the
young man was struck silent.
Why are YOU laughing at meo" no
cried at length. Don't you want nv
devotion? Don't you want me to wait
on YOU. to learn from YOU, to sit at
your feet as your slave? Is there
somebody else you prefer? | can
hardly wait for the boat to arrive
t-l-I-l believe love YOU. Is
this love-"
Yes, this is love" said the girl
How do YOU know? Do Won love
me? DO YOU fee! the virus?"
No, she answered thoughtfullv
1 am sure now that / am immune
against it, didn't tell those old pro.
lessons. nut all women are.
Why? Why? Why?" shouted the
Young man