The Mount Holly news., 1916-01-18
The PERFECT CURE
ny DONALD BLAIR.

eyes.
Cant you do anything for the girl
| doctor?" she whispered.
He shook his head.
Not without her help, Mrs. Sar
gent" he said gravely. 'If she had
the slightest desire to get better" he
paused tentatively.
"That wretched affair with Ralph
Dearing-I can speak freely to you
about It'll OF course, no one outside
Of the family knew that they were
engaged, and Elsie was saved that
humiliation, but the shock Of his 1ilt-
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 liver"
Pooh - fiddlesticksl" shifted the
bluff doctor. patting Mrs Sargent on
plump shoulder. Elsie Is young
and this is her first love affair - 1t
must not be her last; 1t is our duty
to see to that-yes, yours and minei
Before she grieves herself out Of the
world, you and l, Mrs. Sargent, must
endeavor to create new interest for
her-something to make her want to
live forever"
What can we dor" asked Elsie's
mother
II have an idea which will ex-
plain later, and now, good afternoon
and don't worryi"
Early the next morning Mrs. Sar-
gent came into Elsie's sickroom with
"a 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 shook 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-
iously announced that he, had just mar
ried Barbara Kent; that she must not
mind; he wasn't worth bothering
about, anyway. In view OF his be-
havior this last remark was entirely
superfuous, 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 his first call at the
Sargent's pretty home.
He sat down at the bedside, scanned
the nurses report and nodded ap-
proval. 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 a queer expression in
his cool, gray eyes.
The nurse had taken care that Elsie
should look charming. Miss Whelan
was nsddle-aged and still romantic,
which might have explained why she
had put her patient into her frilliest
Ia Go54AAB HaOQQC 6t10 IcA uAAnSACbb AaC0
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, chr" breezed Doc
tor Phelps.
Elsie's eyes widened ever SO slight
1y. She shook her head. Il feel about
as usual" she murmured.
She didn't close her eyes again be-
cause she was interested in the vision
of tall, broad-shouldered young man,
black haired and gray eyed. with sun
tanned face and hands, who was wear
ing white fiannels. A tennis racquet
was tossed on chair beside his white
felt hat
"You don't look bit like doc
tori" she said, to her own amaze
ment.
"You don't look bit like sick
girl" retorted Doctor Phelps, cheer
fully.
Elsie was interested.
But / am ILL.," she protested II
am very, very ill-and you ought to
know it, Doctor Phelps" with growing
petulence.
'That's the trouble-I don't see
much the matter with you, save that
you're too tired to sit up and eat
lot of nourishing things-and to go
down to the club and hold your repu-
tation In the singles"
Elsie sat up in bed, rose pink
waving in her cheeks. Tennis SIN
gles?" she repeated who Is en-
tered for the match? Not Myra Hat
fieId?"
+ The doctor nodded. Miss Hatfield
has strong hopes of taking the cup
from you. I'm downright sorry, too,
Miss Sargent, for they tell me you
play corking game. I'll have to test
that heart action"
After he had applied the stetho-
scope he replaced 1t in its case and
looked very cheerful.
Hearts all right, Miss Sargent.
Don't worry. Miss Hatfield may not
carry off the cup after all"
"She wouldn't have ghost of
chance If l could only get out" was
Elsie's confident answer when does
the match come of, Doctor Phelps?
I've lost all track of time"
Not for eight weeks"
Il wonder-do you think If am
very, very careful that I might be
well enough to play?" she asked wist-
fully.
do you want TOT"
do II" She smiled adorably.
"Then you can-that's all there is
to it. You can do anything you like
II you only want to hard enough.
Think that over, Miss Sargent"
He held her hand In his warm clasp
for moment, smiled down into her
eyes, picked up his hat and racquet
and disappeared with the nurse into
the hall.
Elsie gazed after him, conscious Of
an acute pang of jealousy that Myra
Hatfield could play tennis with Doctor
Phelps while she, the woman cham
pion of her club. had to lie in bed. A
sudden terror smote her that she
might die after all. She had so ear
nestly prayed for death in those first
horrible days.
"Oh, don't want to die!" she cried
suddenly. and Miss Whelan ran back
to hold her hands and assure her that
the doctor had promised Mrs. Sargent
that Elsie would be running around
the garden in fortnight
"And you know doctors don't make
rash promises, Miss Elsie,'' admon-
ished Miss Whelan kindly.
Il am so glad" said Elsie quietly.
Then. What is that?" she asked as
the purring Of motor fell on the
r1Imunar air