Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-03-01

shield.
Il have been trying to make you say
that all EVENING"" said Sidney. Il love
you so much that K, won't you take
me in your arms?"
Take her in his arms He almost
crushed her. He held her to him and
muttered incoherencies until she
sasped. 1t was as if he must make ND
for long arrears of hopelessnesS. He
held her off a bit to look at her. as if
to be sure it was she and no change
ling, and as if he wanted her ewes 10
corroborate her lips. There was no
lack Of confession in her eyes; they
showed him new heaven and a new
earth.
ut was you always, X" she con-
fessed. Il just didn't realize it. But
now, when you look back, don't you see
it wasp
He looked back over the months
when she had seemed as unattainable
as the stars, and he did not see it. He
shook his head.
L never nau even hope"
Not when | came to you with everv-
thing? I brought you all my troubles.
and you always helped"
Her eyes-filled. She bent down and
kissed one of his hands. He was so
happy that the foolish little caress
made his heart hammer in his ears.
Il think, X, that is how one can al
ways tell when it is the right one, and
will be the right one forever and ever.
1t is the person-one goes to in trou-
bIe.'
He had no words for that only little
careSSing touches of her arm, her hand
Perhaps, without knowing it, he was
formulating a sort of prayer that,
since there must be troubles. sht
would always come to him and he
would always be able to helm her
And Sidney, 100. fell silent she was
recalling the day she became engaged
to Max, and the lost feeling she had
had. She did not feel the same at all
now. She felt as If she had been wan
dering, and had come home to the
arms that were about her. Looking in
10 his steady eyes, she knew that she
was safe. She would never wither for
him.
Where before she had felt the clutch
of inexorable destiny, the woman's fate
now she felt only his arms about her,
her cheek On his shabby coat.
Il shall love you all my life" she
said shakily.
His arms frightened about her.
The little house was dark when they
got back to it. The Street, which had
heard that Mr.. LIE Moyne approved Of
night air, was raising it's windows for
the night and pinning cheesecloth bags
over its curtains to keep them clean.
In the second-story frame room at
Mrs. Mckee's, the baritone slept heav-
lily, and made divers unv0cal sounds.
He was hardening his throat, and so
slept with wet towel about it.
Down on the doorstep, Mrs. Mckee
and Mr.. Wagner sat and made love
with the aid of lighted match and the
pencil-pad.
The car drew up at the little house.
Katie had heard it, and now she came
heavily along the hall.
"A woman left this fer Mr.. K" she
said. IF you think it's a begging let
ter, you'd better keep it until he's
bought his new suit tomorrow. Almost
any moment he's likely to bust out"
But IT was not beg yng letter. K.
read 1t in the hall, with Sidney's
shining eyes on him. 1t began abb
ruptly:
I'm going to Africa with one of my
cousins. She is a medical missionary
Perhaps 1 can work things out there
If | caused DEATH I did not mean to-
You will think that no excuse but it il
true In the hospital when I changed the
bottles on Miss Pages medicine tray, I
did not care much what happened. But it
was different with you.
e You dismissed me- You remember. had
peen careless about sponge count.
made up my mind to get back at you.
You remember the packets of gauze
sponges we made and used in the operat-
Ing room? There were twelve to each
package. When we counted them as we
got them out, we counted by packages.
On the night before 1 left, I went to the
operating room and added one sponge
every here and there. Out of every dozen
packets, perhaps, l fixed one that had
thirteen. The next day l went away.
Then I was terrified. I was SO fright
med that I went down sick over it. When
[ got better, I heard you had lost a case
and the cause was being whispered about
L almost died of terror. Then I left the
city. l couldn't stand it. I was afraid
70 read a newspaper
L am not going to sign this letter. You
know who it is from And I am not going
10 ask your forgiveness, or anything OF
that sort. I don't expect it. But one
thing hurts me more than anything else
the other night. You said you'd lost your
faith in yourself. This IS to tell you that
you need not. And you said something
else-that anyone can "com4 back"
wonder
K. stood in the hall of the little house
with the letter in his hand. Just be-
yOnd on the doorstep was Sidney, wait
Ing for him. His arms were still warm
from the touch of her. Beyond lay the
Street. and beyond that lay the world
and mans work to do. Work and
faith to do it, good womans hand in
the dark, Providence that made
things right in the end
. 'Are you coming, K?"
Coming" he said. And, when he
was beside her, his long figure folded
TO the short measure of the step. he
stopped humbly and kissed the hem Of
her soft white dress.