Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-07-12

ter tnan any Of those that talked -
much-that she had At least o great
secret with him alone.
When leaving. the doctor wished %
send oyer from his Office medicine fos
her uncle. Nan offered to 60 with him.
but the doctor said 1t was pretty late
and Main street pretty nOisy-he pre-
ferred to dnd Q messenger. When
there came a rap on the half-Open door,
she went forward to take the medicine
from the messenger and saw. standing
before her In the hall. De Spain.
She shrank back as II struck. She
tried to speak. Her tongue refused its
office. De Spain held a package out
in his hand. doctor Torpy asked me
to give you this"
doctor Torpy? What Is it,"
II really don't know-I suppose It
is medicine" She heard her uncle turn
in his bed at the sound Of voices.
Thinking only that he must not at any
cost e De Spain. Nan stepped quick
ly into the hall and faced the messen-
ger. II vas over at the doctors Of
flee Just now," continued her visitor
evenly: "he asked me to bring this
down for your uncle" She took the
package with an incoherent acknowl-
edgment. Without letting her eyes
meet his. she was conscious of how
fresh and clean and strong he looked,
dressed In q livelier manner than
usual-a partly cowboy effect. with a
broader hat and Il gayer tie than he
ordinarily affected. De Spain kept on
speaking: 1.-THE telephone girl in the
office downstairs told me to ON right
up. How is your uncle"
She regarded him wOnderingly. HE
has a good deal Of PAIN" she answered
quietly.
TOO bad he should have been hurt
in such Il way. Are you pretty well,
Nan?" She thanked him.
"Stay here n good deal, do you? I'll
bet you don't know what day this is7"
Nan looked up the corridor, but she
answered tn the point: YOU'D lose.'
"It's u anniversary" She darted
a look Of indignant disclaimer at him.
But In doing so she met his eyes,
Have you seen the decorations In
Main street? Come to the door just a
minute and see the way they've lighted
the arches" She knew just the ex'
preston Of his eyes that went with
that tone. She looked vexedly at him
to confirm her suspicion. Sure enough
there in the brown part and in the lids
1t was, the most troublesome possible
kind Of an expression--hard to be reso'
lutte against. Her eyes fell away, but
some damage had been done. He did
not say another word. None seemed
necessary. He Just. kept still and
something-no one could have salt
just what-seemed to talk for him tC
poor defenseless Nan. She hesitated
helplessly. II cant leave uncle" she
objected at last.
ASK him to come along"
Her eyes fluttered about the dimly
lighted hall. II ought not to leave
III stay mere at the door While you
go"
Irresolute, she let her eyes rest
again for a fraction of q second on his
eyes; when she drew a breath after
that pause everything was W I'D
better give him his medicine first" she
said, looking toward the slckroom door
His mo%nosyllabic answer was calm
DO" Then as she laid her hand or
the knob Of the door to enter the room
Can l help nnyf"
"Oh. no." she cried Indignantly.
He laughed silently: "Ill stay here
Nan disappeared. Lounging against
the windowsill opposite the door. h
waited. After a long time the dool