The Washington herald., 1917-08-20

warren Surly grunt.
still a little painful?" with ex-
asperating cheerfulness, as he started
to unwrap the bandage.
See here, doctor, who long am !
going to be laid up7"
That depends" removing the cot
ton dressing from the swollen discol-
grafton. you've got a pretty bad
knee there-and you're paying for be-
ing on 1t yesterday"
Doctor. ought he go to the phone?"
asked Helen, Drawing Warren's
threatening scowl.
Most certainly mott" severely.
Now II you won't keep this leg still,
I'll have to put 1t in a cast-and
that'll mean two weeks. How about
it? Think you can be absolutely
quiet for a few days?"
Warren's growl implied a grudging
assent.
What can he have to eat, doc
tor?" questioned Helen, when the
knee had been redressed.
Anything he wants. He's not sick.
you know-only has to keep quiet. If
he gets tired OF reading-start him
playing solitaire"
''Solitaire" snorted Warren.
well. pinochle then-Mrs. Curtis'n
play with you. Now the less YOU move
about and the more you keep your
mind OF that knee-the sooner Wen
have you out"
Solitaire! Pinochle" was warren's
contemptuous comment as the door
closed after the doctor. Better save
that speel for his neurotlc females"
Dear, what would you like for
lunch?' propitiatingly. He said you
could have anything you wanted A
broiled squab-and an alligator pear
salad? / saw some fine squads at
Bloucher's the other day."
"Oh. don't care-anything, unap-
peased by the allurement of these
delicacies.
Not wanting to entrust this order to
the telephone, Helen. promising to be
gone only a few moments. hurried
out to Bloucher's-the fancy high
priced market on the side street.
With unusual care she selected a
plump SQUAD. an alligator pear OF
just the proper ripeness, a ribbon tied
bunch Of hot-house grapes. and. as
, an added extravaganza. she paid %
cents for a pound tin OF Cassava
waters. of which Warren was inor-
dinately fond.
Helen knew from experience that
food would be the most potent factor
in making his confinement endura-
| ble-for them both.
Hurrying back, as she entered the
hall, she was greeted by the impa-
tient pounding of his cane.
Where IN thunder have you been?"
"Why, dear, ] told you was going
out to get tie things for your lunch
con. Did you need anything? Didn't
Nora come in?"
Mora" explosively. I'D as soon
have a h!ppopotamus wait on me.
Get me that box of cigars. Where S
the last International? Windows up
in the dining-room? Can't we have
some air in here?"
"Everything's open, but I'll move
in the fam" as she brought the cigars
and found the International in the
pile of magazines on the table be-
side him.
"See if you can fix this blamed pill
| low" irascibly. TOO low on that
side. Ouch! Go easy there! Now
where're you going Can't you stay
in here two minutes? Pull that avn
ing-it shuts out the air. Here. you
beat it," as Pussy Purr-mew jumped
up on the chair and shifted at his
| bandaged knee.
1t proved a trying day. Warren's
| querulous demands and complaints
were incessant. II Helen left him to
attend to some household duty, she
| was promptly summoned back by the
pounding cane.
| As the afternoon wore on he became
] fN,H l. -NA
Tapher having come and gone, there
was no other break in the days mo
notony. He was tired of reading-ano
tireG of being read to.
| Helen ra cked her mind for some
thing to divert him. At last in des
peration she brought out a map puz
zle, left there by Carries children.
what the Sam Hills all that?" a'
she emptied out on the sewing table
the mass of pieces from the highly
colored box.
"a cut-up map-it's really very in
teresting." Then artfGlly. at his dis
dainful sniff, I'D like to try it my
self"
1t was a map OF the United States
Helen started with an irregular bi
showing the letter "A" on a point o
land, bordered by the deep blue which
represented water. That must be tn,
end of Florida, from which she would
work upward.
"Z! That's part Of Arizona" a
though to herself but hopefully con
scious that Warren was watching her
"'B what state has a 'B'?" musing
ly. "oh, Alabama X'-that has 4
be Texas"
How about New Mexico?" snapped
Warren.
"Oh, that's so! Then I'll put I
about here" for she was roughly plac
ing the States from her rather vague
| geographical knowledge. 'F'-thatj
the beginning of my Florida"
But it wasn't. 1t was a differen
color with a heavy mountain range
Mountains in Florida?" scoffec
! Warren. That's California. Bu
that's not the way to work it-takt
all day II you go by letters. FRS
get your mountain ranges and bis
rivers. Get an outline to work on,
with brisk, masculine capability
Here. I'll show YOU"
With throb of elation Helen push
ed the table nearer him. For a while
she stimulated his interest by watch
ing him. Then seeing he was thor
oughly absorbed she got out her sew
ing.
What a boy he wasl The doctor
was right-he had to be diverted
amused. The puzzle would serve 70
a while-until he pieced it out. Thel
she must think of something else.
! All men were childishly rebelliou
at confinement. They could nevel
beaE any form sf Mpsss, q phys!sa