The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-01-06

|;s, !; 5|I:x;esx$
ut Seems to Me I'd Better Not Go
Back"
| it, and all the time something inside
of me is saying, Not now, perhaps;
but sometime you may" She looked
up ut him forlornly. II am just not
brave enough, X"
"Wouldn't it be Drawer to keep ont
Aren't you giving up very easily?"
Her world was in pieces about her,
and she felt alone in wide and empty
place. And, because her nerves were
drawn taut until they were ready to
snap, Sidney turned on him shrew-
ishly.
II think you are all afraid 1 will
come back to stay. Nobody really
wants me anywhere-in all the worldl
Not at the hospital, not here, not any
place. am no use.''
when you say that nobody wants
you," said X, not very steadily, "I-I
think you are making mistake"
| She scanned his face closely, and,
reading there something she did not
understand, she colored suddenly.
| Il believe you mean Joe Drum.
mond.'
mo; do not mean Joe Drummond."
If he had found any encouragement
in her face, he would have gone on
rccklessly; but her black eyes warned
him.
IF you mean Max Wilson," said
Sidney, "You are entirely wrong He's
not in love with me. Anyhow, after
this disgrace"
'1There is no disgrace, child"
Hell think me careless, ut the
least. And his ideals are so high, X"
"You say he likes to he with you.
What about your"
Sidney had been sitting in low
chair by the fire. She rose with n sud
den passionate movement. In the in
forEality Of the household, she had
visited X. in her dressing gown and
slippers; and now she stood before
him. tragic young figure, clutching
the folds of her gown across her
breast.
II worship him, H." she said tragi-
cally. "Whcn 1 see him coming,
want to get down and let him walk
Oh lie. When l see him in the oper-
ating room, cool and calm while ev-
eryOne else is clustered and excited, he
he looks like god"
Then, half ashamed of her outburst,
she turned her back to him and stood
gazing ut the small coal fire. 1t was
as we'll for X. that She did not see his
face.
ITS real, all tlis?" he asked after
q pause. you're sure it's not just
glamour, Sidney?'
'lt's real-terribly real" Her voice
was mufllcd, and he knew then that
she was crying.
She was nightly ashamed Of it.
Tears, of course, except in the privacy
of ones closet, were not ethical on the
street.
Perhaps he cares very much, too"
"Give me u handkerchief" said Sid
ney in a muflled tone, and the little
scene was broken into while Is
searched through bureau drawer.
Then X. questioned her, alternately
soothing and probing.
"Who else had access to the medi.
cine clOset?"
| "Carlotta Harrison carried the KEYS.
of course. l was off duty from four
to six. When Carlotta left the ward.
the probationer would have Them"
"Have you reason to think that eli.
Their one of these girls would wish
you harmY'
"None whatever" began Sidney We.
hemently; and then, checking herself,
"unless-but that's rather ridiculous,s
"What is ridiculous7"
rive sometimes thought that CAT
lotta-but 1 am sure she is perfectly
fair with me. Why, K, she wouldn't
It would be MURDER
Murder, of course" said K, sin in
tention, anyhow. OF course she didn't
do it. I'm only trying to find out whose
mistake it was"
Soon after that she said goodnight
and went out. She turned in the door
way and smiled TREMENDOUSLY back at
him.
"You have done me a lot of good.
You almost make me believe in my
SELF"
"That's because I believe in you"
With quick movement that was
one Of her charms, Sidney suddenly
closed the door and slipped back into
the room. r., hearing the door close,
4 A.