Iron County register., 1917-03-01

ways. I would rather he here than any
where else In the world"
But he did not look at her. There
was So much that was hopeless in his
eyes tina, he did not want her 10 see.
in one way. Il will be little bet.
ter for you than If Christine and Pal.
mer were not in the house. You Ike
Christine. don't you!"
Every much"
"She likes yon, X. She depends on
You. too, especially since that night
when you took care of Palmer's arm
before We got Doctor Max. often
think. X. what a good doctor you
would have been. Yon knew SO well
what TO do for mother"
She broke on. She still could not
trust her voice about her mother.
"Palmers arm is going to he quite
straight. DR.. Ed is so proud Of Max
over 1t. II was a bad fracture"
He had been waiting for that. Once
at least. whenever they were together,
she brought Max into the conversation.
She was quite unconscious of it.
You and Max are great friends. l
knew you would like him. He is in
teresting, don't you think!"
Very" said X.
To save his life, he could not put
any warmth into his voice. He would
be fair. II was not in human nature TO
expect more of him.
Those long talks you have. shut In
your room--what in the world do you
talk about? Politics?"
Occasionally"
She was little jealous of those eve-
nings, when she sat alone, or when
Harriet, sitting with her, made sketches
under the lamp TO the accompaniment
of a steady hum of masculine voices
from across the hail. Not that she
was ignored, Of course. Max came in
always, before he went, and, leaning
over the back Of n chair would inform
her of the absolute Darkness of life
in the hospital without her.
And X. would stand in the doorway.
quietly smoking or 20 back to his room
and lock away in his trunk the great
German books on surgery with which
he and Max had been working out Il
case.
So X. sat by the dining-room table
and listened to her talk Of Max that
last evening together When the bells
announced midnight. Sidney reused
with Il start She realized that for
some time neither of them had spoken.
and that KS eyes were fixed on her.
The little clock on the shelf took up
the burden Of the churches. and struck
the hour In quick Staccato notes.
Sidney rose and went over to X, her
black dress in soft folds about her.
''Hc is born, K"
"iie IS born, dear"
She stopped and kissed his cheek
lightly.
Christmas day dawned thick and
white. Sidney left the little house at
six, with the street light still burning
through a mist of falling snow.
The hospital wards and corridors
were still lighted when she went on
duty at seven O'Clock. She had been
ASST gned to the mems surgical ward
| and went there at once. She had not
| seen Carlotta Harrison since her moth
| er's death; but she found her on duty
| in the surgical ward. The older girl
| greeted her pleasantly.
1--WE We're all sorry to hear of your
! trouble" she said. Il hope we shall
get on nicely"
| Sidney surveyed the ward. full to
overtlowing. At the far end two cots
had been placed.
"1he ward Is heavy, isn't it?"
"Very. I've been almost mad at
dressing hour. There are three of us
YOU. myself and II probationer."
| The first light of the Christmas
morning was coming through the win
dows. Carlotta put out the lights and
turned in businesslike way to her
| records.
"Thc probationer's name Is Ward.
well,' she said. 'Perhaps you'd better
help her with the breakfasts If there's
any way to make mistake, she makes
it,
1t WAS after eight when Sidney found
Johnny Rosenfcld.
| You here in the ward johnny !" she
said.
Suffering had refined the boys fea.
| lures. His dark, heavily fringed eyes
looked at her from pale face. But
he smiled up ut her cheerfully.
u was IN n private room; but 1t cost
thirty plunks II week, so l moved. Why
pay rent?'
Sidney had not seen him since his
accident. And now the work of the
ward pressed hard. She had only a
moment. She stood beside him and
stroked his hand.
I'm sorry, Johnny"
He pretended to think that her sym.
pathy was for his fall from the estate
of private patient to the free ward.
oh I'm all right, Miss Sidney" he
said. "Mr. Howe Is paying six dollars
week for me. The difference between
me and the other fellows around here
is that get napkin on my tray and
they don't"
Before his determined chcerfulness
Sidney chOkcd.
Have they told sou what the trou.
Bile Isl"
Backs broke. But don't let that
worry you. DR.. Max Wilson is going to
operate on me. Ill be doing the tango
yet"