The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-10-06

superintendent, at the foot of the bed.
Standf.s lust back of the doctor was
Mrs Reed, who had an apartment on
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,
"Tll anfSer it."
.sDoes y.dur head ache?" asked the
doctor.
AS though to locate the confused
throbbing pain, Helen raised her hand
to her head. There was blood-chlll'
ing feel Of crisp singed hair. Then
leaping terror as her fear-stiffened lin
gers CROPPED over her face.
"No, your face isn't touched" COM
forted the doctor, divining her fears.
"You got off very easy-gasollne is
dangerous stuff. Does that bandage
feel too tight?"
A slam of the outer door. Though
her face was to the wall, she knew II
was Warren who burst into the room
The next second he was kneeling
by the bed. The vague dread OF his
stern reprehension 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"
GLOW did 1t happen?" huskily.
!, "Cleaning something in gasoline"
"Gasoline - groaned Warren.
"Yes, they will use it. Your wife
ran out into the hall-worst thing she
could have done. If Mrs. Reed hadn't
thrown rug about her it might have
! been serious. Everybody else seemed
: paralyzed."
Mrs Reed! So she owed her rescue
e to Mrs. Reed! The words throbbed In
the blurred blackness before Helen:
closed eyes.
r With awkward, unsteady fingers
q Warren was smoothing back the singet
= "She's suffering a little IRON snocK
q I'll leave some quieting powders IL
case she can't sleep. You can give
$ her one at nine and repeat in an houl
y If necessary. I'll call in the morning
II to dress the arm"
The doctor gone, Helen for the frs
o time looked up at Warren. He was
d strangely white and haggard.
l. "Oh," family, "they frightened yoJ
h when they 'phoned."
"That's all right--don't think Of me
p Does your arm hurt?" still smoothing
Re the crisp, roughened hair.
n Her head moved in denial not want
W ing to admit the pain.
Mrs. Reed, who had been waiting IL
1t the other room, came to the door. "Yo'
t, don't need me now. Mr.. Curtis, but
IL you should later-just phone down."
II won't attempt to thank you Mrs
e. Reed" Warren rose from the side o
c. the bed. "There are some things 20,
< can"
he "Oh, please don't speak of it. Tn
70 very glad was able to do something
le We had almost the same accident fl
our family-I suppose that's why
lie thought of the rug"
N He was following her to the door
ID Their low murmured voices came iron
p the hall.
Helen's turmoiled thoughts were re
ID hearsing the tragedy. The bathroom
TX What damage had been done? She ha
visions of heavy repair bill-of tn
K tiled walls and porcelain tub cracke
s, by the flames.
Is Warren was again by the bed, bu
TO she did not look up. Just then
he seemed easier to lie there wit
lg closed eyes. Now that they were alone
es she was struggling against Mysteries
e, desire to burst into tears. Sh
yearned yet dreaded for him to con
IL fort her.
W. There was long silence. He wa
" holding her hand, stroking slowly til
~ unbandaged arm. From the stree
III came the rhythmic clatter of hooi
and the recedlng rumbling Of wheels.
81 "Well, Kitten, how about the gas,
~ line? Is one lesson going to b
y enough?"
- Helen nodded, biting her lips
~ steadiness. Another silence. Then sh
No asked. quiveringly:
he "Dear, the bathroom! Did--did
injure the walls or ceilingT
Haven't looked" briefly. "You'r
no all right-that's all that counts. An
ct damage Is dirt cheap if it'll make yo
leave that internal stuff alone"
"a "Oh, I'll never use it again." chokin
back sob. "Tll never even have
m In the house."
iii "All right, Kitten, won't rub it II
IS, A jolt like this is pretty tough on bot
of u.s." Then, with relieving hume
,e- well, you won't have to frizz YOU
he hair for while. You've made pre-
err ty good Job Of that"
as ---------------------