The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-01-28
IIE Dali Y
0RT STORY
UP in 24s
~ r. RAY BAKER.

Biae8 tube from the patients
mouth, scrutinized 1t, then
bed II through the air couple Of
tiree8 To- send the mercury back to
%, wrote some figures on q pad,
the pillow at a more comfort
angle, replenished the hot water
guk ne and rearranged the flowers In
TIE Kases smiling the while.
selling better tonight7' she In.
gllited the bright smile broadening
and being reflected in the wan face OF
he young woman In the bed and also
On the countenauce OF the elderly lady
ID HE nearby chair.
ae patient nodded IN answer to the
q86fy and said:
Yes, considerably better thank
That's Just fine; / hope you con.
late 70 improve said the nurse, as
she opened the door and stepped into
ne hall Good night" The door
Closed.
Always happy, isn't she?" observed
the elderly lady.
Always echoed the patient. "She
smiles every minute, and 1t certainly
does help one 70 get we'll"
But once she was In the hall, Aga.
tha Moore's smile vanished and was
replaced by a worried frown. She hur.
tied down the hall and knocked at q
door bearing the number 24S. OF the
nurse who opened 1t she asked:
How Is he?"
The other nurse shook her head
Eravely.
TITS question" she said. 'He has
( Q chance; but I'm afraid"
Agatha peered iRto the room, anu
her eyes glistened. Then she with
drew and walked briskly to the nurses
lodge, adjoining the hospital. In her
room she hastily donned a coat and
went down to the parlor, where she
took chair and rocked uneasily to
and fro.
Agatha was confronted with prob.
lem on which hinged her happiness.
IN ten minutes she expected Glen vii.
son to enter the parlor in quest Of her
answer to his marriage proposal.
Agatha was very fond Of Glen. Not
only was he q very attractive young
man, both as regarded appearances
and personality, but he had a promis.
Ing real estate business that was rap
idly becoming more promising. She
had formed his acquaintance at y
I dance in the lodge soon after she en-.
tered training, and q warm friendship
had developed during the ensuing auto
excursions and theatre parties. Final
Glen had asked her to be his wife,
aud she had told him she must take
q week to decide.
The reason for postponing the an
eWer was Stuart Franklin, who had
been her sweetheart back in Hender-
Z s0nyille before she entered the hos
bttal. There was4no arrangement. but
there was an understanding between
Them.
On two vacations, while visiting at
3 home, Agatha and Stuart had renewed
heir friendship and had discussed the
tttnre at some length; but still she
had refused to listen to an official
and binding engagement" as she ex-
Z pressed 1t.
They had written regularly until re-
Gently, when Agatha had let the CORE.
spondence lapse. Then when yaca-
slonul time came, she accepted the invi.
sAtion OF friend IN a nearby town In
stead Of going home, as customary.
Thus things stood when letter
rom Stuart announced his intention
% come to the city In search Of sue.
Sess, Agatha had not answered that
letter.
Then came his proposal Of Clients.
|lt brought to Agatha's mind recollec-
Hons Of events long past-hayride ex-
ctEsipns. Skating parties, Sunday pic
turessnapping expeditions and other
lnctd dent in which Stuart and she had
participated. She had really cared
TOR her home town sweetheart, she
could not deny that. She cared for
him yet she also admitted, and she
had neglected his letters not because
sl,es wanted to, but because she felt
( Che must
Glen offered more as a husband. It
MAS one thingsto be the wife Of sue
eessful Eusiness man and another to be
come united for life with a plodding
small town boy, no matter how much
one might care for the latter.
Only yesterday Agatha had come to
The conclusion that her only course
lsls to accept Glen offer OF marriage,
j. md she had planned the way in which
slse would break the news to Stuart
When he appeared.
Rutthat was before the events OF to.
lay Agatha was on duty on fourth
tall, hut was Unexpectedly summoned
70 scrub and report IN the operating
DOM to help In an emergency case.
50 She scrubbed" that is, she ster.
'lizedS her hands by an energetic scrub.
5inE With soap and brush. and went
% the operating room. A young man
mad lust been brought in, suffering
serious injuries received In a street
'aF accident. His recovery was
aonbtftil:
Now she was waiting for Glen, and
Siie Was supposed to have her answer
,eadE He came promptly. on time,
md asked her to take short ride with
hiis so I can learn my fate in de-
.aIi. he said,
THE hospital was at the edge Of the
cifN and two blocks ride took them
INTO tie country.
Well how about it?" Glen asked, as
14 slowed. down in a tree-fring.ed road.
DO you become Mrs. Glen Wilson OF
does Glen Wilson contineu to batch
SIZE cleared her throat and began
With counter question:
||IlId 2tnn avAr think v,oyI 40 rnd q ia&