Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-02-14

across, sitting In silence and watching
his grave profile and steady eyes.
I He had q little picture of Sidney-a
snapshot that he had taken himself,
her hair blowing about her, eyes look
ing out, tender lips smiling. When she
was not at home, it sat on KS dresser,
propped against his collar-box. When
she was in the house. ii lay under the
pin-cushion.
/ Two o'clock in the morning. then,
and X. in his dressing gown, with the
picture propped. not against the col
lar-bOx. but against his lamp, where he
could see il.
He sat forward in his chair, his
hands folded around his knee, and
looked at it. He was trying to picture
the Sidney of the photograph in his
/ old life-trying to find place for her.
But 1t was difficult. There had been
| few women in his old life. His mother
had died many years before. There
had been women who had cared for
him. but he put them impatiently out
of his mind.
Then the bell rang.
Christine was moving about below.
He could hear her quick steps. Almost
before he had heaved his long legs out
of the chair. she was tapping at his
door outside.
ITS Mrs. Rosenfeld She says she
wants to see you
He went down the stairs. Mrs. Ro-
senfeld was standing in the lower hall,
shawl about her shoulders. Her face
was white and drawn above it.
I've had word to go to the hospital"
she said. 81 thought maybe you'd go
with me. 1t seems as If 1 can't stand it
alone. Oh, Johnny. Johnny"
where's PalmerT' X. demanded of
Christine.
Hes not in yet"
"Are you afraid to stay in the house
alone?"
mo; please CO."
He ran up the staircase TO his room
and flung on some clothing. In the
lower hall, Mrs. Rosenfelds sobs had
become low means. Christine stood
helplessly over her.
81 am terribly sorry" she said
terribly sorry! When l think whose
fault all this is! ~
Mrs. Rosenfeld put out WORKMAN d.
ened hand and caught Christine's fin
gers.
"Never mind that" she said. "You
didn't do it. I guess you and under
stand each other. Only pray God you
never have q child"
X. never forgot the scene In the small
emergency ward TO which Johnny had
been taken. Under the white lights his
bOyish figure looked strangely long.
There was group around the bed
Max Wilson, two or three internes, the
night nurse on duty, and the Head.
Sitting just inside the door on a
straight chair was Sidney-such a Sid
ney as he never lad seen before, her
face colorless. her eyes wide and IN
seeing her hands clenched in her lap.
When he stood beside her. she did not
move or look up. The group around
the bed had parted to admit Mrs. RO-
senfeld, and closed again. Only Sid
ney and X. remained by the door, iso-
lated, alone.
You must not take it like that,
dear, IT'S sad, of course. But, after
all, in that condition"
| II was her first knowledge that he
was there. But she did not turn.
"They say | poisoned him" Her
voice was dreary. infiectionless.
| "YOu-what?"
"They say I gave him the wrong
medicine; that he's dying; that / muir
dered him." She shivered.
X. touched her hands They were
| ice-cold.
"Tell me about it,
There is nothing to tell. / came on
duty at six o'clock and gave the medi-
| cineS. When the night nurse came on
at seven, everything was all right. The
/ medicine tray was just as it should be.
Johnny was asleep. l went to say
goodnight to him and he-he was
asleep. I didn't give him anything but
what was on the tray" she finished
piteously. Il looked at the label; | al
ways look"
BY n shifting of the group around
| the bed, KS eyes looked for "a moment
directly into Carlotta's. Just for mo-