The Ordway new era., 1917-09-28


the floor below.
Still dazed. Helen again sought
refuge in the protective darkness Of
closed eyelids. The heavy odor Of
iodoform added to her sense of strange
ness. Her mind was struggling to
bring order and clearness from her
chaotic thoughts.
She heard Mr.. Thompson murmur
something to the doctor and tiptoe
heavily from the room. Then the tele-
phone rang and Mrs. Reed whispered.
"I'll answer it."
docs your head ache?" asked the
doctor.
AS though to locate the confused
throbbing pain, Helen raised her hand
to her head. There was blood-chill.
ing feel of crisp singed hair. Then a
leaping terror as her fear-stiffened fin-.
gers groped over her face.
mo, your face isn't touched" COM
forted the doctor, divining her fears.
"You got off very easy-gasoline is
dangerous stuff. Does that bandage
feel too tight7"
A slam Of the outer door. Though
her face was to the wall, she knew it
was Warren who burst into the room.
by the bed. The vague dread of his
stern apprehension fell from her as she
felt his encircling arms.
"It's all right, Mr.. Curtis,," the doc
tors voice was quietly reassuring.
"Only a slight burn under the arm"
"How did it happen?" huskily.
"Cleaning something in gasoline"
"Gasoline!" groaned Warren.
eyes, they will use it. Your wife
ran out. into the hall-worst thing she
could have done. II Mrs. Reed hadn't
thrown rug about her 1t might have
been serious. Everybody else seemed
paralyzed."
Mrs. Reedi So she owed her rescue
to Mrs. Reedl The words throbbed in
the blurred blackness before Helen's
closed eyes.
with awkward, unsteady fingers
Warren was smoothing back the singed
hair.
"She's suffering little from shock.
I'll leave some quiettng powders in
case she can't sleep. You can give
her one at nine and repeat in an hour
If necessary. I'll call in the morning
to dress the arm"
The doctor gone, Helen for the first
time looked up at Warren. He was
strangely white and haggard.
"Oh." family, "they frightened you
when they 'phoned."
"That's all right-don't think of me.
Does your arm hurt?" still smoothing
the crisp, roughened hair.
Her head moved In denial, not want
ing to admit the pain.
Mrs. Reed, who had been waiting in
the other room, came to the door. "You
don't need me now. Mr.. Curtis, but If
you should later-just phone down."
II won't attempt to thank you, Mrs.
Reed" Warren rose from the side of
the bed. "There are some things you
can"
"Oh, please don't speak Of it. I'm
very glad I was able to do something.
We had almost the same accident in
our family suppose that's why I
thought of the rug"
He was following her to the door.
Their low murmured voices came from
the hall.
Helen's turmoiled thoughts were re-
hearsing the tragedy. The bathroom
What damage had been done? She had
visions Of a heavy repair bill-of the
tiled walls and porcelain tub cracked
by the flames.
Warren was again by the bed, but
she did not look up. Just then it
seemed easier to lie there with
closed eyes. Now that they were alone.
she was struggling against hysterical
desire to burst into tears. She
yearned yet dreaded for him to COM
fort her.
There was long silence. He was
holding her hand, stroking slowly the
unbandaged arm. From the street
came the rhythmic clatter Of hoofs
and the receding rumbling Of wheels.
"Well, Kitten, how about the gaso-
linef Is one lesson going to be
enoughT"
Helen nodded, biting her lips to
steadiness. Another silence. Then she
asked. quiveringly:
"Dear, the bathroomi Did-did 1t
injure the walls or ceilingf"
Haven't looked" briefly. you're
all right-that's all that counts. Any
damage is dirt cheap II it'll make you
leave that internal stu6 alone"
ssOh, FL never use It again" choking
back sob. "rll never even have 1t
In the house."
.All right, Kitten. I won't rub it In.
A Jolt like this il pretty tough On both
Of us.~ Then, with relieving .humor.
"Well, You won't have to friEz your
hair for q while. You've made . prot
u good Job Of that"
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