The midland journal., 1917-04-06
CHAPTER xVl-continued.


-13-
"That would be foolish, wouldn't It,
when you have done so well? And,
besides, since you are not guilty, Sid
ney-"
81 didn't do It'll" she cried passion
ately. "But 1 can't keep on; that's
all there is to it, keep saying to my
self: You didn't do it, you didn't do
it, and all the time something inside
of me is saying, Not now, perhaps;
but sometime you may" She looked
up at him forlornly. II am just not
brave enough, K"
"Wouldn't it be braver to keep on?
Aren't you giving up very easilyT
Her world was in pieces about her,
and she felt alone in wide and empty
place, And, because her nerves were
drawn taut until they were ready to
snap, Sidney turned on him shrew-
ishly.
II think you are all afraid I will
come back to stay. Nobody really
wants me anywhere-in all the world
Not at the hospital, not here, not any
place. I am no use."
"When you say that nobody wants
you," said K, not very steadily. IL
think you are making mistake"
She scanned his face closely, and,
reading there something she did not
understand, she colored suddenly.
81 believe you mean Joe Drum
mond."
"No; do not mean Joe Drummond."
If he had found any encouragement
in her face, he would have gone on
recklessly; but her black eyes warned
him
"If you mean Max Wilson," said
Sidney, "You are entirely wrong. He's
not in love with me. Anyhow, after
this disgrace"
"There is no disgrace, child"
Hell think me careless, at the
least. And his ideals are so high, K"
"You say he likes to be with you.
What about you?"
Sidney had been sitting in a low
chair by the fire. She rose with sud-
den passionate movement. In the in
formality Of the household, she had
visited X. In her dressing gown and
slippers; and now she stood before
him, tragic young figure, clutching
the folds of her gown across her
breast.
IT worship him, K.," she said. tragi-
cally. 'When see him coming, I
want to get down and let him walk
ON me. When see him in the oper-
ating room, cool and calm while ev-
eryone else is flustered and excited, he
he looks like god"
Then, half ashamed Of her outburst,
she turned her back to him and stood
gazing at the small coal fire. 1t was
as well for K. that she did not see his
face.
"It's real, all this?" he asked after
a pause. "You're sure it's not just
glamour, Sidney?"
''It's real-terribly real" Her voice
was muffied, and he knew then that
she was crying.
She was nightly ashamed of it.
Tears, of course, except In the privacy
of ones closet, were not ethical on the
street.
perhaps he cares very much, too"
"Give me a handkerchief" said Sid
ney in a muffled tone, and the little
scene was broken into while K.
searched through a bureau drawer.
Then K. questioned her, alternately
soothing and probing.
"Who else had access to the medi-
cine cloSetT
"Carlotta Harrison carried the keys,
of course. / was off duty from four
to six. When Carlotta left the ward,
the probationer would have them."
slave you reason to think that Ell
ther one of these girls would wish
you harm?"
"None whatever" began Sidney We
hemently; and then, checking herself,
'unless-but that's rather ridiculous"
"What is ridiculous"
"Pve sometimes thought that Car
lotta-but am sure she is perfectly
fair with me. Why, K, she wouldn't!
It would be murder"
Murder, of course" seid K, sin in
tention, anyhow. OF course she didn't
do it. I'm only trying to find out whose
mistake it was"
Soon after that she said goodnight
and went out. She turned in the door