The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-08-16
PAIN COMES BACK

PAIN COMES BACK
AS the big boat moved out OF its
berth and. a little later. parted with
its fussy tugs and steamed out into
the waters so heavily menaced and
as heavily guarded. Sally felt tears ris-
Ing, Why she could not have told.
But Rolf knew. The reaction was set
ting In. Soon the slowly reviving vi
tally Of the girl would dissipate the
numbness in her heart and mind. He
wished he were stronger himself to
help her bear up In that hour.
After dinner they came up on deck
again. Moonless night had fallen. their
protection against sudden danger. Not
glimmer OF light showed In the ship.
Only q murmur here and there OF
voices reached them. They had said
very little to each other, DR.. Will and
Sally, since leaving Boulogne She
had felt the dawning of vague terror
In her; 1t had nothing. to do with ter
ror Of things to happen; only Of the
past.
DR.. Will had tried to divert her with
talk of their coming work in estab-
fishing and training base hospital
units In the United States. But she
was only half listening.
Suddenly she said, her voice like
that OF q person startled out Of sleep
by some one moving in the dark.
Il have letter from stephen. l
must read It."
Before he could stop her she had
risen from her chair and was hurry
ing to her cabin. DR.. Will called to
her and followed. but could not catch
up before she had locked herself in.
He waited In the passageway. listen
Ing for sounds inside. For long time
he heard nothing. The other women
who shared her stateroom were on
deck Once he thought he heard a
half-stifed whimper, as though child
had been hurt. Then followed silence
He was about to turn away and go
to the deck for a breath Of relief from
the painful tension when he caught a
sound from the cabin that stopped
him dead.
1t was Sally, from whom there came
long low wailing cry that froze his
blood. 1t was the cry Of woman for
the loss Of the one being in the world;
OF creature who has been MORALLY
wounded
The Cry for Help.
DR.. Will knocked on Sally's door re-
peatedly. He got no answer unless
the pitiful sound OF her heartbreak
could be called one. Finally he pushed
the door and entered She was on the
floor. her face buried in her hands,
sobbing without tears, the storm with
in her tearing ficrcely.
Swiftly he knelt at her side and
raised her in his arms. His own face
was lined with inexpressible pain. 1t
was not only because she was suffer
ing so terribly that hurt him. He ex-
pected the crisis and its suffering.
What sent the knife into his heart
was to see how utterly desolate she
felt herself; in this hour of agony to
feel that he counted not at all in her
loneliness.
sally. dear girl, be strong! You
have stood SO much and been SO brave
for others. Be strong and brave for
YOURSELF" he pleaded
II he had dared he would have
pleaded for himself, too. But it was
no time to make vain pleas. At such
a time he did not count except per-
haps as an intruder on a great and
private grief
NO, no." she sobbed. her breath
coming In gasps. II want to be alone!
I cannot-stand it! Steve-Steve-and
Roger-both! l want to be-alone-
please!"
She uttered the word with a de.
spairing moan as though she were
praying to an implacable and hostile
deity.
But, dear, you won't be alone here!
he pleaded. Mrs. Blake will be here
any moment-Miss Cairns
She grasped his lapels.
please, please. keep them OUT" she
begged
He shook his head
II can't very well, Sally It is their
only shelter. But you come with me
and promise you shall be alone"
She sank on the bed strengthless,
fghing for breath. convulsed with dry,
hard sobs. He wrapped her in her
long cape cloak, tenderly yelled her
with a silk scarf--she obeyed him like
a child-and took her out on the deck,
In dark and little-peopled part.
There he made her comfortable in
a steamer chair and went below to
prepare for her q sedative.
He stayed away deliberately. But it
took a great effort of the will. In his
own distressed state Of mind he did
not know what form her shock would
take - desperation, complete break
down or brain fever.
When. finally. he could no longer
keep away, he walked softly toward
where she was alone in the darkness
with her grief. He was about to steal
back when he caught a new note in
her half.stifled sobs-the note of her
tears.
AS though it were the first herald of
saving rain that would bring life and
restoration to a dying harvest. DR.. VIII
silently thanked God for that softer
note. He went away again and paced
the deck for endless hours, 1t seemed
to him.
Then he came back to her Her
face was still hidden In the folds of
her scarf. But her frame was no
longer shaken with sobs. He urged
on her the soothing draught he had
prepared. Then at his further urging,