Cheyenne record., 1917-09-27

Better cable Florence ~ soon -
you can," she advised
Rose protested when the plan for
living six months more in E7orsncG
McCrea's house. was broached to, her.
She made the best fight she. could.
But Harriet's arguments, !. re-stated
now by Rodney with full conviction.
were too much for her. When she
broke down and cried, as she. couldn't
help doing. Rodney soothed and com.
forted her, assured her that this mo-
ton of hers about the expensivenessY
of 1t all, was just notion, which
she must struggle against as best
she could. She'd see things in a truer
proportion afterward.
| Very fine and small and weak. Rose
Stanton, lying in bed with people
about her, let her eyes fall heavily
shut lest they should want her to speak
or think. Then, for long time.
nothing. Then presently. hand.
firm, powerful hand. that picked up
her heavy, limp wrist and two sensi-
tive hnger-tps that rested lightly on
the upper surface Of 1t. After that,
an even, measured voice-a voice Of
authority, whose words no doubt made
sense, only Rose was too tired to think
what the sense was:
That's a splendid pulse. She's do
ing the best thing she can, sleeping
like that"
And then another voice. utterly un-
like Rodney's and yet unmistakably
his-a ragged voice that tried to talk
in a whisper but couldn't manage it
broke queerly.
That's all right" 1t said. ''But I'll
find it easier to believe when"
She must see him-must know
what 1t meant that he should talk
like that. With strong physical ef-
fort, she opened her eyes and tried
to speak his name. She couldn't; but
someone must have been watching and
said quickly and quietly 'Mr. Aldrich."
And the next moment, vast and tow.
ering and very blurred in outline. but
like his voice, Enthusiastically, was
Rodney-her own big, strong Rodney.
She tried to hold her arms up to him,
but of course she couldn't.
And then he shortened suddenly.
He had knelt down beside her bed,
that was 1t. And she felt upon her
palm the pressure of his lips, and his
unshaven cheek, and on her wrist q
warm wetness that must be-tears.
And then she knew. The urgency
of sudden terror gave her her voice.
"Roddy," she said, "there was go
l t. 90 ~ AnL =,
Something queerly like a laugh
broke his voice when he answered.
"Oh, you darlingl Yes. It's all right.
That isn't why I'm crying. It's just
because, I'm so happy"
"But the babyw she persisted.
"Why isn't it here?"
Rodney turned and spoke TO some
one else. "She wants to See" he
said. MAY she?'
| And then a woman's voice (why,
It was the nurse. of course! Miss
in an indulgent, soothing tone: "Why,
surely she may. Wait just minute"
But the wait seemed hours. Why
didn't they bring the baby-her baby7
Therel Miss Harris was coming at
last, with queer, bulky, shapeless
bundle. Rodney stepped in between
and cut of the view, but only to slide
an arm under mattress and pillow
and raise her little SO that she could
see.
| And then, under her eyes, dark red
and hairy against the whiteness Of the
pillow, were two small heads-two
small, shapeless masses leading away
from them, twitching, sQuirming. She
stared. bewildered.
"There were twins, Rose" she heard
Rodney explaining triumphantly. but
still with something that wasn't quite
a laugh, "a boy and a girl. They're
perfectly splendid. One weighs seven
pounds and the other SIX"
| Her eyes widened and she looked
up into his face SO that the pitiful
bewilderment in hers was revealed to
him.
But the baby" she said. Her wide
eyes filled with tears and her voice
broke weakly. II wanted a baby"
you've got a baby" he insisted,
and now laughed outright. There are
two Of them. Don't you understand,
dear1"
Her eyes dropped shut, but the
tears came yelling out along her
lashes. please take them away" she
begged. And then, with a little sob,
she whispered: II wanted a baby,
not those"
Rodney started to speak, but some
sort Of admonitory signal from the
nurse silenced him.
The nurse went away with her bum
die. and Rodney stayed stroking
Roses limp hand.
In the dark, ever % much later.