The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-06-26

She had had only one brief moment
of terrible anguish when she had seen
the man she loved lying 30 still, but
she rallied and pleaded to be allowed
to give ms many inches Of skin as were
needed for Hillary's recovery.
Tint which Helen did she did In
secret. In her heart she knew that Hill
larry would not consent to her sacrifice.
II he so much rs knew Of her presence
his protests would ne doubt bring ON
a fatal fever.
When her skin was tested and found
to be perfect Helens Joy was unbound
ed. She wanted to suffer; she wanted
to feel just one-hundredth part OF the
same pain as that which Hillary was
feeling.
Never had Helen loved him so much
as when under the excruclating pain
of having those inches of skin removed
from the wonderfully smooth white
arms. She smiled. knowing that the
was perhaps to snve Hillary's life.
"IIe must never know It," she kept
repeating to herself as she had re-
peated time and again to the surgeons
and nurses In charge Of the case.
| And Helen's will had ruled. There
was not u moment during the painful
process Of skin grating when Hillary
had even suspected that 1t was wom-
an who had gloried In her sacrifice and
given to him the skin from her lovely
arms. She smiled. knowing that the
large, ugly scars on his face and neck
were healing wonderfully. and there
wus more than u chance that his eye
sight was returning.
As he began week by week to take .
more definite interest In life and his
recovery Hillary questioned his nurses
and doctors, but could get no satisfac-
tion.
1T was young lady who wanted to
feel she had done her bit In the great
war;" they told her; 'she had led Z
selfish useless life. and she pleaded 20
desperately to be allowed to do one
good turn In her life that we let het
make the sacrifice. She called Il
great privilege"
And that was all Hillary could leart
even to the day when. weak and little
like the big Hillary Of prewar days, he
travelled from the hospital to pick up
the threads Of New York life again.
1t was with no mild surprise that %
ciety watched the return VI Helen
Travis into evening clothes. At all the
great functions given for heroes and tc
celebrate peace. Helen appeared In
variably In gowns that even prude
might term overmodest. Those glOrious
arms that the feminine world envied
and masculine adored wers concealed
beyond the hopes Of men,.
i Whereas all womankind -was .rovol-
Ing in creations that the breaking Of Z
bead strap might bring disaster up0es
Helen graced the bathrooms In ~
nunlike garb, distinctive In its rurity.
(which convent are sou enterlng4'
and "when do you get your seventh
} veilY were come, Of sthe question:
flung at hst. and Hel5G clasped heg
secret close to her heart and laugh@
; with them. The scars beneath ~
chiffons were far moro precious thao
all the lovely gowns In the world. &
And somehow from out the chacn
Of her life Hillary came back to full
realization Of his love for Helen. An
inward something told him that she
was his--that nothing could rob him q
q, love such 40 theirs had once been
3 She had not realized his mans duty q
the time of his leaving her. He would
seek her and win her again. \,
Hillary had brought down ave bocho
planes on the battlefield He had at-
tackled always without fear, for. aftee
all, the worst would be physical DEATH
But now. II he failed with Helen. 4
would be death to the soul-at leaet
that u the way Hillary felt about II.
But when Helen looked up and saw
Hillary standing before her. she Just
crumpled into his arms and cried
cried 10 that her body ahOok. Hillary's
! arms held her nercely. He had M
words and he was none too steady
az he sOothed her.
In gesture quite beyond her con
troll Helen's hand went up and soft q
rose petals her fingers caressed the
cheeks and neck Of the man she loved.
Something In the way her fingers
fingered on the faint scars-or per
haps 1t was the tremendous inner ra-
dance of love-told him. Whatever
the flash, Hillary knew knew that
Helen had bound herself to him By
ties greater than any he had forged.
He knew. too, the agony she must have
endured while the skin was being re-
moved from her wonderful arms.
II couldn't let anyone else be 70
dear part Of you," when later Hill
, larry tried to find words to express hin
feelings she spoke through the glow Of
happiness that suffused them both
NOW. could II"