Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-08

SYNOPSIS or PREVIOUS cHArrERS.
Tom olcot; IL Injured by a fan during his
physical cnl,nr" class. and his assistant
Mlhha Blai'. sends him :" "a hospital when
he regains cons' iousness he IL Immediately
a s', 10y his nns"; Olive Hale. an'! ~oor
iaiis heels over head IN iCv" with her Sh,
loves him. too. but is extremely i"rious OF
Man, Mi"na bai !i, wh" cones fr"gu"nliy TO tn
going I" mAify Henry wilkins chiefly FOR -
nom toni, rom IN 'r,Ss :" dissuade her IL"
while they arc ,alkins intimately. hoidir;
each Others hand Olive enters but goo,
Continued from Monday
Nonsense" laughed Tom WHY told
her all about you a dozen times. Re-
sides. she knows you don't care a snap
for me. except as good old chum.
Olive is too perfect to lei herself be
jealous. But-bu, I almost wish she
were. 1t would show she cared. what
am TO do. Mnna, to square myself?"
Let me think" unused Minna: then
"Why not send her some flowers? y
dozen American Beauties. for instance"
Pine" applaudcd Tom. Fine and
dandy! I've nsver yet given her a
present. Two never been where / could
buy one. Get the roses for her, won't
you, on the way home? You'll find
plenty Of cash in my vest wallet over
on that rack And take one OF my
X,
American Beauties instead Of dozen
Get them with stems mile long
Girls like roses with mile OF stem
! don't know why"
Minna Blair departed. promising to
attend to the commission at once Halt
an hour later an enormous sheaf OF
| American Beauty roses was handed to
| Olive by hospital orderly
| olives face flushed with pleasure at
/ sight of the magnificent flowers. Then
her glance fell on Tom Oicotts card at
the bottom Of the long florist box.
! With frown and a tightening Of
/ her lips she thrust the roses carelcssly.
back into their box. along with the
card, and handed the box itself to the
srinnng orderly
! Garry those UP To room 49," she bade
him. and give them TO Mr.. OIcott.
Tell him say he must have sent them
to me by mistake"
Tom duly received his rejected gift
ana the curt message But that was
the last word he had from Olive Hale
| for many a long day
/ AT last came morning when he
/ was fully dressed and with his RICH,
arm and shoulder still In the plaste,
cast, was helped OUT upon the hospital
Ncr*nha for an airing. There he wa,
installed in one OF line Of long chair.
with several other convalescen,s rs
near neighbors.
Z The fresh air and the change al
scene were 4 delight To the unhappy
man For the moment the new sur.
/ rotndinEs almost took his mind AWAY
from its endless task OF broodinr over
Olives displeasure
! Tom oicott was born athlete
| Every muscle of his compactly knit
( figure was trained 10 perfection. lie
/ was brilliant boxer and wrestler and
n dynamo " athlete energy For sucI
man the long confinement in the hos
pital and his present half-cripplci
weakness were a bitter humiliation
lie fell to comparing his lot with tina
or the other convalescents lounsing OF
the veranda. From one To another q
the pallid. haggard faced patients hi:
4 curious gaze roved. resting at last upoI
the man who sat next 10 him. 4 big
powerful looking longshoremau, VIII,
was recovering from smashed foot
Then, all AZ once. Toms inspection
OF his fellow sufferers ceased. lie felt
as though the sun had burst through
a pail OF clouds
For along the veranda. toward him
Olive Hale was hurrying.
Tom half-rose in his chair to gree
her, his sudden movement sending
hot twinge of pain through his injured
shoulder.
Olive was carrying glass partl!
filled with n grcasy-looking brownisi
medicine. She did not meet Tom:
brightly welcoming smile. nor turn hel
head in response 10 his eager wore
Of greeting.
| Instead she walked past him with