The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-27

SeA nc0P ulo ueEo OOOr open all night
-dey's sick folk in here, sect"
That's SO. that's sol" Mark let the
barrow handles fall and came into the
corridor blinking.
mo. wat is it youse want? Who
sent your"
"Malcolm-that is, DR.. Miller"
YES"
And he said for me to get oxygen
In tank, right away"
Say, are you Mr.. Andrews!"
Andrews? Yes. that's my name
My wife's sick-pneumonia-"
oh. yes. now know. Saw. sit down
. minute I'll get it,"
He padded away on his rubber soles.
Plum dotty!" he said to himself a.
he unlocked the storeroom and
switched the light.
Mark, left alone, stared unblinking.
ly at the incandescent, clenching and
unclenching his bony hands. Once he
swallowed hard and tried to wet his
lips with his dry tongue. After q Ger.
tain time he heard metallic rolling
noise. and saw in dream the orderly
propelling q long blue cylinder down
the hall.
Here you are!" said Foley, AN
here's de tube an inspirator. I'll put
EN- right here in your pocket, see?
Now you wait one minute, an Ill fix
youse good dose Of whisky an git .
hat an some gloves. l guess one
pneumonia case at times enough for
amy family"
mo. no! I don't want It. 1 won't
have It! Let me-"
Shut up! II youse goes hollerin'
like dat you'll wake up all me par
tients! You keep still, see?"
Mark, cowed, leaned against the
wall and waited. In two minutes he
was hated, gloved, and ready for the
home trip. with gill Of whisky burn
ing his stomach.
Lend q hand now" commanded Fo-
ley. AN we'll load it on de wheel.bar.
rer. That's right. Easy down de steps
now! I'd send somebody wild youse.
II dere was anybody here, but dere
amt. Now, den. I'll hold de door
open till you reach de tracks. All
right? Got 1t? Good luck to youse!"
1t was nightmare, that freezing
dark wallow back through the bliz.
card. Shrieking wind-devils buffeted
Mark and snatched the breath from
his lips; snow-devils clogged the bar.
row wheel; cold-devils shot him
through and through with long sting.
ing arrows.
His clothes, stiffened and frozen,
made every movement doubly painful
Twice he was blocked and had to kick
the snow away with numb feet
Once snow pillow jolted past. glar
ing and suffering; it forced him to
drag his load off to one side and al
most buried him in a smother of snow
The mans reason and thought stag
gered down and out; he became moth
Ing more than an automaton. lungine
onward. sobbing. thrusting the barrow
on and on through the tumult
Sight and sound faded, cold faded
darkness and wind and everything fad
ed from his consciousness-ever
thing but the lash of his idea. Time
too. was blotted out; the universe was
just q whirl, a whirl. whirl.
Suddenly light broke through the
whirl and stopped 1t; then the man
saw some steps and felt a thrill OF
recognition-the steps we're his! Some
one was coming down those steps-a
voice was calling Ut seemed miles and
miles away:
Hurry! Hurry"
Oh, 1t was Malcolm, dear old Mally
and-the cylinder was lifted; 1t was
carried up the steps. Mark followed
Then his own self surged back again.
with sickening pains Of memory. and
Mark stood shivering. gasping in his
own house.
See! Malcolm was carrying the
cylinder upstairs on his shoulder
Mark followed again; shutting up the
stairs. At the sickroom door the nurse
repulsed him.
mo. no! You cant come in here!"
she whispered, laying her hand on his
thin chest. mo. no! You're all wet
and cold. Keep OUT"
Quick" he heard Malcolm whls-
per to the nurse. Hurry! Get that
inspirator on! She'll be gone in a
minute!"
Then there came little silence and
the click Of q metal snap.
Now let's have it-easy at first!
Just turn the valve till you hear It
hissi"
Another silence.
well. what's the matter? Why
don't you turn the valve?"
Il am turning 1t, doctor!"
You are? HIN, that's odd; there's
no gas coming. Throw 1t wide open!"
There, it won't go any further!"
Say, what the Why, there's
nothing in it! Foley must have given
him an empty"
AN empty"
! Mark appeared In the doorway. His
face was the color of old ivory.
Empty, was it? Empty?" he
/ shouted.
Hush Go back"
And she's dead-dead?"
J Malcolm started toward him, but
the man tossed up his arms and
/ whirled about and laughed, laughed,
aughed-screamed:
IT'S an empty one. It's empty!
Ha, ha. What a joke. Ho. no! He