The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-22

9 obeyed. She got the washbasin an
3 a towel and prepared to battle hi
head. He wanted a drink. And whe
she held cup to his lips and saw hoy
| greedily he drank, little sob brok
t unexpectedly from her lips. Sh
gritted her teeth after it and force,
a laugh.
you're sure a hard drinker," sh
bantered and wet her handkerchief t,
lay on his brow.
That's the first decent drink w,
had for month";" he told her, drop
ping back to the pillow, refreshed t.
the point of clear thinking. "Old Lady
Fortunes still playing football will
me, William. I've been laid up with
a broken leg for about six weeks. And
when / got gay and thought | could
handle myself again, I put myself out
of business for while, and caught
this cold before came to and crawled
back into bed. Pm-sure glad you
showed up, old girl. 1 was-getting up
against it for fair" He coughed.
Looks Ike it." Billy Louise held
herself rigidly back from any emo
tional expression. She could not af-
ford to ''go to pieces" now. She tried
to think just what a trained nurse
would do. in such case. Her hospi-
tai experience would be of some use
here, she told herself. She remem-
bered reading somewhere that no ex-
perience is valueless, if one only ap-
plies the knowledge gained.
First" she said cheerfully, "the pa
tient must be kept quiet and cheerful.
So don't go jumping up and down on
your broken leg, Ward Warren; the
nurse forbids it. And smile, if it kills
you"
Ward grinned appreciatively. Sick
as he was, he realized the gameness
of Billy Louise; what he failed to real
ize was the gameness of himself. 'I'm
pretty worthless specimen right
now" he said alphabetically. But I'm
yours to command, Bill-the-Con
You're the doctor"
'Nope, I'm the cook, right now. I've
got a bunch. How would you like a
cup Ol TEA, pdlleutg
"Pd rather have coffee-Doctor Will
liam"
"Tea. you mean. I'll have it ready
In ten minutes" Then she weakened
before his imploring eyes. "You really |
oughtn't to drink coffee, with that fe-
yer, Ward. But, maybe If don't make
It very strong and put in lots of
cream Wen take a chance, bucka-
ROOT"
"How much sugar, PATIENT" Billy
Louise turned toward lin with the to-
nato can sugar bowl in her hands.
"None. I want to taste the coffee,
his trip"
"Oh, all right It's the worst thing
7ou could think of, but that's the way
With patient. Patients always want
What they mustn't have"
"Sure-get 1t, too" Ward spoke be-
ween long, satisfying gulps. "How's
our other patient, Wilhelmina? How's
nommie?"
"Oh. Wardl She's dead-mommie's
eadp Billy Louise broke down IN
xpectedly and completely. She went
own on her knees beside the bed and {
ried as she had not cried since she
)oked the last time at mommie's still {
ace, held In that terrifying calm. She
ried until Wards excited mutterin IS '
armed her that she must pull herself t
ogether. G
"You be s-still," she commanded c
fighting for her former safe v
1eerfulness. I'm all right. Pity
ourself, If you've got to pity some Il
ody. lean stand-my trouble.
aven't got any broken leg and q
ookin' cough" She managed a laugh
len and took Wards hand from her O
lir and laid it down on the blankets. a
Vow we won't talk about things any d
ore. You've got to have something
me for that cold on your lungs" She Il
sc and stood looking down at him q
It'll puckered eyebrows. n
"Mommie would say you ought to b
i've good sweat" she decided. SCOT
~ ginger| b
II dunno. I guess not" Ward NUT VI
red confusedly. II
wen, IL 80 Oul anu uuu SOluc SdStp u
en-, and give you sage tea. That's a
other cure-all." HI
She did not spend all her time pick d.
g sage twigs. A bush grew at the g
rner of the cabin within easy reach. g.
e went first down to the stable and
! Blue inside and unsaddled him. te
Ward was lying quiet when she went al
except that he was waving her
ndkerchief to and fro by the cor OF
rs to cool 1t. Billy Louise took 1t In
,m him, wet 1t again with cold water,
d scolded him for getting his arms e,
I'm under the covers. That, she said, hi
IS no nice way for a hookin'-cough AZ
IN to do. tn
Ward meekly submitted to being COW be
I'd to his eyes. Then he wriggled his ca
In free and demanded that she kiss tn
n. Ward was fairly drunk with hap 70
less because she was there, In the of
bin.
Ward Warren, you're a perfectly
full hookin-cough mani There. Now
it's going to be the only oue-Oh,
ird, 1t isn'tl" She knelt and curved pr
arm around his face and Missed tn
O again and yet again. II don love ca