The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-02-22
THE KISS
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

Doctor 8reen he had never spoken
to her unkindly. Even when occasion
might have warranted, for there were
occasions, and mistakes due to her
nuttering heart and confused brain, he
had been patience itself, fact so no.
ticeable that the rest of the training
school first wondered, then comment
ed, and finally gossiped.
One day the head surgeon met her
in the hall.
Doctor Breen regarded her mo-
ment In silence, the way her color was
coming and going, the way her fingers
opened and closed.
why are you afraid of me- Miss
Starling?" he asked finally. "Tm not
such a bear am II"
Mo" stammered Kathleen, turn
Ing away her eyes.
"And I'm not very old. How old do
you think / ann"
"I-don't-know."
"Only thirty. That's not old enough
to develop any full-sized crouch, now
is it?"
mo"
She was uneasy and wanted to get
away. The head nurse was likely to
discover that she was talking to one
of the doctors in the hall and she
would be reprimanded.
Doctor Breen understood. "Never
mind about Miss Lownes, I'll fix this
up with her. want to ask you some
thing more. If ever I'm sick or hurt,
Will you nurse me?"
Yes, Doctor Breen." Kathleens
gray eyes were losing some of their
fear.
Then things began to happen very
fast. The ambulance bell sounded in
the courtyard below and the nurses
and orderlies seemed to be everywhere
at once.
Doctor Breen had hurried away and
Kathleen went back to her patients
in X ward wondering what it was all
about.
"What is it?" she asked an inferno
as the elevator passed her floor slow
ly with a new burden of men on
stretchers.
Explosion in the Blue Diamond
mills" came the answer.
In an hour Miss Lownes came in.
"You are to go to room twenty-five on
the mems floor" she said icily. "Some
of the doctors went to the scene of the
accident and wall fell. Doctor Breen
was hurt"
Doctor Breen hurt Kathleen CROPPED
her way blindly to the stairs. She had
promised, and she would go.
He was unconscious and did not
know her, however. Kathleen helped
with bandages and splints, the doctors
and two nurses working silently and
quickly. But there was other work
to do-terrible work; and they were
needed elsewhere. SO Kathleen was
left alone with her patient for a
while.
He slept all the first day. The night
brought a fever and the next day de-
lirium. He began to talk.
Pretty Just the prettiest thing
you ever saw, but she scares like a
little gray mouse. She's sweet
I" he went on. "Gray eyes, long
lashes and skin like alike tearose."
He was quiet for while; then sudden
ly, Kathleen, little Kathleen, don't be
afraid. I'm only thirty"
The little nurse started and famed
red. Could he be talking about her?
He was getting very restless and ex-
cited. 81 want her. Get me Kathleen.
Kathleen!" he called.
Finally she said quietly, laying a
cool hand on his, Heres Kathleen be-
side you"
kiss me, dear. Kiss me, Kath-
leen." He caught her two hands and
pulled her down. After all, 1t was
only to humor sick man, and she
was too tired to care much what hap
pened. SO her lips touched his cheek
lightly.
"Miss Starllngw
1t was Miss Lownes' voice. Kath-
leen looked up quickly but fearlessly.
There was another woman with the
head nurse, richly dressed woman of
middle age, whose resemblance to the
man on the bed identified her as his
mother.
"Kathleen !" called the sick man.
"You may go, Miss Startling. There
is little to say. You are dismissed
That's all, believe"
And then something in the timid lit
tie mouse of a nurse broke loose.
"You are condemning me unheard
Miss Lownes, and it isn't fair You
are taking advantage of a sick mans
within to get me out Of the way be-
cause you've never liked me. But be-
fore l GO" the little head with its
crown of chestnut hair went up very
high and the gray eyes flashed, II
want to tell you something. I'm a
Startling and my mother was a Brix-
ton. Neither Brixton nor a Star
ling ever did anything dishonorable.
My grandfather is John Rigby Brix-
ton, who built this hospital and en-
bowed 1t. / wonder what he'll think.
And my father, DR.. Amos Startling, Is
the best known American surgeon in
the French army now" proudly.
Miss Lownes was aghast. Mrs.
Breen too astonished to speak. Then
voice spoke quietly from the bed.
1--WE heard everything and / can only
divine what's wrong, but want moth
err to know that Kathleen is going to
marry me. Aren't you, KathleenT
"Yes," answered the little nurse,