Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-30

that We have the buggy, becausc I
shall Just have time TO catch the
afternoon train and get into Avon
mouth at midnight"
Then he looked at her white face
and read the fear in it. "1f you tell
And the patient?" whispered
Joan.
VIII die. No. OF course I shall
go. Nothing could keep me from go
ing, not even you, my dear. But you
would not have me stay"
You are right. Yes, of course you
must go. But / am afraid of Myers"
He started, as If he, too, had been
thinking OF the secretary. But tic
man can't harm me, dear" he said.
The message came from HIM"
cried loan in fear
Lancaster looked away. But when
she repeated the question he an
| swered, NO"
lie is at Avonmouth Is he not
there" she asked.
Well Joan, l think he is" said
Lancaster reluctantly. "But he pay
not be. ] only know that the Mes
sage was not from him"
1T was from the hospital? Not
from MACPHERSON"
at was from n man connected with
the hospital" said Lancaster. But 1t
! was rOl IDlii Mdc1nersOn ana NOT
! from Myers, and it did not mention
Myers name. Why, my dear, you
mustn't give way to nerves now that
am losing mine. 1t is n simple re-
| quest for me to operate tomorrow"
! She pulled herself together. 'Of
course you must so. John" She said
again. She put her arms about his
neck. Dear, If you shonll see that
man you will not fall into any trap
that he may set for you?" she asked
You are so strong; you will not let
| him trample on you You are your
self again. and you will remain so for
| my sake'"
Never fear!" he answered cheer
! fully. 81 am not going to take NOR
phine again. why, | shall have none
with me, my dear Joan, and / should
have no opportunity to. buy any, even
| If | wanted to. / shall operate per-
! haps as soon as | reach the hospital,
and return on the morning train.
| NAV not even go to my house Mt all"
81 am not afraid that you will take
morphine" said Joan. But you will
| not sac Myers?"
Not If | can help It. He can't
come to the hospital, and / don't
| think he will dare to lie in wait for
me at the station. If he does he'll
| find me tough customer to kidrap
| in broad daylight. There, my dear
| be calm and sensible, and when / re-
turn l shall tell you everything that
| you must know"
He kissed her and hurried in TO
pack his suitcase. He came out IN II
| few moments and placed 1t I'm the
| buggy. Goodbye, joan dearest
Joan" he said. And you will not
| hint at our engagement TO Mrs
| Fraser while l am gone. l have very
special reasons for this"
She shook her head and laughed
| and returned his kiss, and all the
while her heart grew heavier And
long after the buggy had disappeared
from sight she stood upon the porch
looking after IT.
That night was sleepless as the last.
but all the joy that had filled her
heart in the hill cabin was gone. she
lay awake, listening to the rain that
pattcred or the roof, thinking and
| wondering How strange her life mad
I; become, and how far away the Old
landmarks werel She had fought for
| a mans soul in darkness and
snatched it into light. and now the
tdarkness seemed closing about her
again And she could only hope and
wait thru endless hours.
In vain she tried to tell herselt
| that it was only an ordinary sum-
| mons. On the face of it the call was
natural, but Joan's instinct told her
| that there was more behind 1t. Myers
had not surrendered his prey so cas-
| lly as he had been eYasive-to spare
| her. perhaps-but evasive. Ana her
| task now was only to wait. %
! She tried to follow Lancaster in
her mind, to picture him at the Vari-
Gus stages of his journey, now in the
train and now at Avonmouth. Then
| she fell asleep for few minutes,
awakening to find that the same pro
cess had been going on in her dreams
At 8 she rose. She imagined that ne
must have finished the operation
some time before, and be al the sta
ton, or on his way there, but her
soul could not go out TO his i-Hross
the distance, and their communion
seemed. to be cut short by the same
| impenetrable darkness. Dressing. sne
was conscious of a stronger presehu-
ment of approaching evil which she
could not shake away.
1t was n gloomy day, and the rain
came down in torrents. About
o'clock Doctor Jenkins arrived In ms
buggy, and inquired for Lancaster:
He seemed surprised to learn that
| he had gone to Avonmouth.
He was preparing to return, put
| loan felt the need of speech with
/ him irresistible. She did not mean
| 10 cross-eXamine him; she only want
ed TO shake off the feeling tlrat Lam
| caster had passed out of her reach
Inv speaking to one of his associates
! she hardly knew the purpose OF her
accosting Jenkins until she saw the
| look of concern upon his face.
i