Middletown transcript., 1917-09-29

Copyright 1917 by the Mcclure Newspaper syndcate)

phone rang and Mrs. Reed whispered,
I'll answer it."
Does your head ache?" asked the
doctor.
AS though to locate the confused
throbbing pain Helen raised her hand
to her head. There was Ood-chill-
ing feel of crisp singed hair. Then a
leaping terror as her fear-stiffened fin
gers grOped over her face
mo, your face isn't touched" COM
forted the doctor, divining her fears.
"You got off very easy-gasoline is
dangerous stuff. Does that bandage
feel too tight?"
A slam of the outer door. Though
her face was to the wall, she knew it
was Warren who burst into the room.
The next second he was kneeling
by the bed. The vague dread of his
stern apprehension fell from her as she
felt his encircling arms.
'1t's all right, Mr. Curtis" the doc
tors voice was quietly reassuring.
"Only a slight burn under the arm"
.'HOw did it happen?" huskily.
Cleaning something in gasoline"
"GaSOline" grOaned Warren.
"YeS, they will use it. Your wife
ran out into the hall-worst thing she
could have done. If Mrs. Reed hadn't
thrown Il rug about her it might have
been serious. Everybody else seemed
paralyZed."
Mrs Reed! So she owed her rescue
to Mrs. Reed The words throbbed in
the blurred blackness before Helen's
closed eyes.
With awkward, unsteady fingers
Warren was smoothing back the singed
hair.
"She's suffering a little from shock.
I'll leave some quieting powders in
case she can't sleep. You can give
her one at nine and repeat in an hour
if necessary. I'll call in the morning
to dress the ARM"
The doctor gone, Helen for the first
time looked up at Warren. He was
strangely white and haggard.
"Oh," family, "they frightened you
when they 'phoned."
"That's all right-dOn't think of me.
Does your arm hurt?" still smoothing
the crisp. roughened hair.
Her head moved in denial, not want
ing to admit the pain.
Mrs. Reed, who had been waiting in
the other room, came to the door. "YOu
don't need me now. Mr.. Curtis, but if
you should later-just phone down."
Il won't attempt to thank you, Mrs. |
Reed" Warren rose from the side of |
the bed. "There are some things you
can"
"Oh, please don't speak Of it. I'm
very glad l was able to do something. |
We had almost the same accident in
our family suppose that's why I
thought of the rug"
He was following her to the door.
the hall.
Helen's turmOiled thoughts were re-
hearSing the tragedy. The bathroom!
What damage had been done? She had
visions of Il heavy repair bill-of the
tiled walls and porcelain tub cracked
by the flames.
Warren was again by the bed, but
she did not look up Just then 1t
seemed easier to lie there with
closed eyes. Now that they were alone,
she was struggling against hysterical
desire to burst into tears. She
vearned yet dreaded for him to COM
fort her
There was long silence. He was
holding her hand, stroking slowly the
arm. From the street
came the rhythmic clatter of hOOfs
md the receding rumbling Of wheels.
"Well, Kitten, how about the gaso-
inc? Is one lesson going to be
Helen nodded. biting her lips to
'teadiness. Another silence. Then she
lsked. quiveringly:
"Dear, the bathroom! Did-did it
niure the walls or ceiling?"
Haven't looked" briefly. you're
Ill right-thats all that counts. Any
lamage is dirt cheap Is it'll make you
cave that Internal stuff alone"
"Oh, I'll never use it again." choking
Jack sob. 'I'll never even have it
n the house."
"All right. Kitten, l won't rub it in.
jolt like this is pretty tough on both
If u.s." Then. with relieving humor
We'll. you won't have to frizz your
lair for while. You've made pret-
V good job of that"