American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-05-03


baby.
Ward closed his eees. opened them,
and looked up into her face. One
hand came up uncertainty and caught
her fingers closely. "Wilhelmina-
mine y he said, in his hoarse voice.
His eyes cleared to sanity under her
touch.
Billy Louise drew a small sigh Of re-
lief and reached unobtrusively with
her free hand for the gun. She slid
II down away from his fingers, and
when he still paid no attention. she
picked It up quite openly and laid IL
against the fOOtboard. Ward did not
say anything. He seemed altogether
occupied with the amazing reality OF
her presence.
you've got a terrible cold and from
the looks OF things. you've had II for
about slx months" said Billy Louise.
Her eyes went comprehensively about
that end Of the cabin, with the de-
pleted cracker box, the h~alf-emptied
boxes OF peaches and tomatoes, and
the buckets that were all but empty
of winter. She was shocked at the pits
ful evidence Of long helplessness. She,
aid not quite understand. Surely
Wards cold had not kept him In bed
30 long.
swell. this Is no time for mirth or
laughter" she said briskiy, to hide how
close she was 10 hysterla, "slnce It
looks very much like the morning
after First. we've got TO tackle that
fever OF yours She picked up a
water pail and started for the door.
A. she passed the foot OF the bunk,
she cOnhscated the two revolvers and
took them outside with her. She had
no desire TO be mistaken again for
Buck Olney.
When she came back Wards eyes
were wild ngain. and he started up
In bed and glared at her. Billy Lou
ise laughed at him and told him to lie
down like a nice buckaroo, and Ward,
recalled TO himself by her voice,
obeyed. she got the washbasln and
a towel and prepared to battle his
mead. He wanted "A drink. And when
she held a cup 10 his lips and saw how
greedily he drank. n little sob broke
Unexpectedly from her lips. She
gritted her teeth after II and forced
a laugh.
you're sure a hard drlnker," she
bantered and wet her handkerchief "a
lay on his brow.
THAT'S the first decent drink I've
had for a month" he told her. drop.
ping back to the pillow, refreshed e
the point OF clear thinking. "Old Lady
Fortunes still playing football with
me, william. I've been laid up with
p broken leg for about six weeks. And
when | got gay and thought l could
handle myself again. | put myself out
of business for IA while. and caught
this cold before l came 10 and crawlet
back into bed. pm-sure glad you
showed up. old girl. l was--getting III
against II for fair" He coughed.
Looks like H." Billy Louise helt
herself rigidly back from any emo
tional expression. she could not az
ford 10 Ego TO pieces" now. She trie,
10 think just what a trained nurs'
would do. In such a case. Her hospi
tai experience would be OF some use
here. she told herself. She remem
bered reading somewhere that no ok
perience II valueless. II n only ap
plies the knowledge gained.
"First." she said cheerfully, "the pa
tient must be kept quiet and cheerful
SO don't 40 jumping up and down or
your broken leg, Ward Warren; the
nurse forbids IL. And smile, II It kill
you"
Ward grinned appreclatlvely. Slcl
as he was. he realized the gamenes'
OF BILLY Louise: what he failed to real
lie was the gameness of himself. "rn
n pretty worthless specimen RICH
now" he said apologetically. "But In
yours To command. Blll-the-COnk
You're the doctor"
"Nope, I'm the cook. right now. rv'
got n bunch. How would you like 1
cup OF tea. patientT'
I'D rather have conee-Doctor VIII
liam"
'rea, you mean. IN have IL read,
in ten minutes" Then she weakene,
before his lmploring eyes. "You really
.oughtn't 20 drink coffee. with that fe