The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-05-25
By MARY
ROBERTS
RINEHART

crushed her. He held her to him and
muttered incoherencies until she
gasped. 1t was as If he must make up
for long arrears of hopelessness. He
held her off bit to look at her, as if
| to be sure it was she and no change
/ ling, and as if he wanted her eyes to
corroborate her lips. There was no
lack of confession in her eyes; they
showed him new heaven and a new
earth.
sit was you always, K" she con-
fessed. II just didn't realize it. But
now, when you look back. don't you see
1t wasp
He looked back over the months
when she had seemed as unattainable
as the stars, and he did not see it. He
shook his head.
II never had even a hope"
"Not when came to you with every
thing? l brought you all my troubles,
and you always helped"
Her eyes filled. She bent down and
kissed one of his hands. He was so
happy that the foolish little caress
made his heart hammer in his ears.
II think, K, that is how one can al
ways tell when it is the right one, and
will be the right one forever and ever.
1t is the person-one goes to in trou-
ble."
He had no words for that, only little
caressing touches of her arm, her hand.
Perhaps, without knowing it, he was
formulating u sort of prayer that,
since there must be troubles, she
would always come to him and he
would always be able to help her.
And Sidney, too; fell silent. She was
recalling the day she became engaged
to Max, and the lost feeling she had
had. She did not feel the same at all
now. She felt as if she had been wan
dering, and had come home to the
arms that were about her. Looking in
to his steady eyes, she knew that she
was safe. She would never wither for
him.
Where before she had felt the clutch
of memorable destiny, the woman's fate
now she felt only his arms about her,
hSA NhSOh oh iliS COdl.
Il shall love you all my life," she
said shakily.
His arms frightened about her.
The little house was dark when they
got back to it. The Street, which had
heard that Mr.. LIE Moyne approved Of
night air, was raising it's windows for
the night and pinning cheesecloth bags
over its curtains to keep them clean.
In the second-story frame room at
Mrs. Mckee'S, the baritone slept heav-
lily, and made divers unvocal sounds.
He was hardening his throat, and SO
slept with wet towel about it.
Down on the doorstep, Mrs. Mckee
and MIR. Wagner sat and made love
with the aid of a lighted match and the
pencil-pad.
The car drew up at the little house.
Katie had heard it, and now she came
heavily along the hall.
"a woman left this for Mr.. K" she |
said. eff you think it's a begging let
ter, you'd better keep it until he's |
bought his new suit tomorrow. Almost |
any moment he's likely to bust out"
But it was not begging letter. K. |
read it in the hall, with Sidney's |
shining eyes on him. 1t began abb
ruptly:
I'm going to Africa with che of my
cousins. She Is a medical missionary. |
Perhaps I can work things out thera.
If l caused death. 1 did not snea1 to.
You will think that no excuse, but 1t Is
true. In the hospital, when 1 changed the
bottles on Miss Pages medicine tray. I
lid not care much what happened But it
was different with you.
You dismissed me, you remember. had
been careless about a sponge count. l
made up my mind to get back at YOU
You remember the packets of gauze
'ponges we made and used in the aperat- |
ng room? There were twelve to each
package. When we COUNTED them as we
got them out, we col nted by packages.
On the night before I left, 1 went to the
operating room and added one sponge
very here and there. Out of every dozen
jackets, perhaps, 1 fl ed one that had
thirteen. The next day 1 went away.
Then was terrified. 1 was so fright.
ned that 1 went down sick over it. When
got better, 1 heard you had lost a case
nd the cause was being whispered about.
almost died of terror. Then I left the
ity. I couldn't stand Il. 1 was afraid
@ read a newspaper.
I am not going to sign this letter. You
now who it is from. And am not going
0 ask your forgiveness. or anything of
hat sort. I don't expect 1t. But one
hing hurts me more than anything else,
he other night. You said you'd lost your
aith in yourself. This is to ts you that
on need not. And you sale something
lse-that anyone can ''coms back 1
Tonder!
K. stood in the hall of the little house
18th the letter in his hand Just be-
ond on the doorstep was Sidney, watt
lg for him. His arms we're stiff warm
'om the touch of her. Beyond lay the
treet. and beyond that lay the world
nd mans work to do. Work, and
nth to do it, good woman's hand N
lie dark, ProvideD &c that made
lings right in the end.
"Are you coming, K.1n
Coming" he said. And, when ne
as beside her, his long figure folded
the short measure of the step, Re
onnod hr,n,h1x, al l,igcod rho ocv,, ,% |