Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-03
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Julia Grant quiet sort of girl.
Of an unusual type OF beauty, has
been engaged to Dan Carson. nearly
q year, when she begins to worry
about a steadily growing indifference
on his part, The wedding date has
been set, but three weeks before Dan
confesses there is some one else and
although completely crushed Julia
bravely renounces her claim, Dan, .
inwardly rejoicing at his freedom.
goes to Nancy Cromwell. the other
girl, confident that she is his for the
asking. 1t develops that she has
only been playing with him and his'
offer Of marriage Is refused In order
to forget Julia takes up nursing.
WHEN Julia stopped in the hall and
w looked up inquiringly into the
mocking blue eyes of Doctor Nugent he
would have been slightly chagrined If
he had realized how little his good looks
meant to Julia. She could not see good
looks in any man Just then. and, with
the memory of Dams nnfaithfulness in
her heart, the last thing in the world
that she could have imagined herself
doing was trifing with any one about
anything.
There was something puHzling and
tonfounding in those clear gray eyes.
Dick Nugent had always encountered
response before when he had play
fully stopped a nurse for a chat.
He was suddenly impelled to do some
thing that he had never done in his
life before--relieve Julia of the tray.
shall ] carry that to the door for
you?' he asked.
"Oh, no, thank you," Julia pro-
tested.
But he took it from her and carried
it along the long corridor to the swing
ing door. at the end. When she toot
it from him and thanked him all The
light nothings that he had intended
to say fed out of his mind and he fell
as, awkward as any schoolboy. 1t die
not make matters any better to NEE
Miss Merritt and another nurse as h'
strobe up the corridor aud to notice
their amused looks. Evidently the,
had noticed the whole episode.
In telling the incident later, Miss
Merritt, the prettiest nurse in the in
stitutiou, enlarged upon all of it, DR.
Nugent's discontinue in partieular Sh'
had particular ak to grind inasmucf
as she had suffered all of the results
of their little date together anG he ha'
laughed at it without giving though
TO anything. Miss Merritt did not know
Julia, but she did know that Julia wa
beautiful and she realized, as womel
seem to cannily know things, ina
Julia's attitude Of indifference was VIVA
appealed to a man like Dick Nugeht
Miss Merritt recognized in Julia LOT
midable rival if Julia cared to exer
herself at all, but so far Jula ma
kent very much within her own shell.
Julia gained quite a lot OF notoriet
from the affair, all unwittingly, o
course, as she did not chatter intimatel
with the other nurses. She was
probationer and for that reason wa
not admitted to the friendship of tn
women who had already gained caps
and, besides, her heart was still too soi
to admit of her enjoying the friendshi
of women, AS for friendship with
man like Dick Nugent, Julia shuddere
away from it. In DR.. Nugent she sa'
the weakness and egotism of Dan Car
son. She had seen how he had treate
Miss Merritts disgrace without shoul
dering any of the blame himself. an
abe vaguely distrusted him. His look
which appealed so strongly to the oth'
nurses, were absolutely wasted on JUL
Grant.
of course, this fact piqued Dick M
s.ut He had no aversion to pleasal
little affair with as pretty a giri
Miss Grant. OF course, it was under
4 stood in advance that there would
nothing serious in 1t. He had h
career before him, and he had no II
'tention Of running it with an entangl'
ment Of any kind. DIR. Nugent had bee
having a great deal Of attention
Grace Merritt. She had thought
him as her property for some tim
and she had no intention of relinquisf
ing him to another woman without
struggle. OF course, the fact that Jul
might not want him never occurred
her. What woman could resist p''
Nugent? -
So Miss Merritt proceeded to ma
Julia's life uncomfortable in every WI
she could. She was clever enough
do it subtly so that other people wou
NOT notice it and think she had M
five hut Julia felt this antagonis
nevertheless and ssuffered through
suffered more than she would have ord
, narily, and was puzzled because she d
not understand 1t. Miss Merritt W
unspeakably insolent, and took the tro,
ble,to impress her superiority upon }nl
at every opportunity. Once in the nj
ward when Julia was arranging sim
dressing Miss Merritt stopped and crit
ot.ad 4it In {audjble tones. Every o
turned TO look at the two women, Jul
ON her knees by the bed, her chee
crimson, Miss Merritt in spotless whi
with her, lips drawn into a thin Ii
standing above her.
Dick Nugent, coming into the wa
suddenly, saw that something was wro
and advanced toward them.
twhat's the matter here?" he aske
Julia was mute, but Miss Merritt e
nI.;,ed that Miss Grant had done {