The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-03-24
Margaret
@0
By SUSAN cLAoRTT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure Nswspa-
per Syndicate.)
The air was filled with the perfume
bf roses and the morning breeze blew
the light curtains to and fro and watt
ID the delicious fragrance through the
open window. A little child was seat
"a upon the floor burying white
Kitten under the red rose petals she
had pulled from stems scattered about.
Near her lay a doll very much un-
1resssd Beside 1t little pile Of
sanity clothing ready for use when her
mistress remembered what was due to
sespsctability.
watching the group with listless
ayes was . woman. stretched with an
hvalid's inertness upon q couch. Lis.
toning to the child's low talk. she
caught the sound Of quick step upon
he veranda and faint CLEAN Of color
ross to her face to disappear before q
ran stepped through the long window
into the room; a man alert In move
nsnt whose keen eyes softened to .
marvellous sentleness a. he looked to-
ward her.
With an almost imperceptible mo-
hon the girl pressed more deeply into
the pillows supporting her. The slight
movement was not lost upon the man.
who laid his hand upon the child's
head, laughing as he turned her face
to meet his gaze.
"What a careless, careless mother,
Ruth, to leave your child In this con-
dition. She will take cold"
'Tm aw'ly anxious, Doctor Max, and
I'm glad you have come" she an
swered, gravely. "I'm afraid Column
bia has hurt herself and will have to
have an OPERATION"
With gravity equaling her own, the
physician took the doll and worked at
stiff and broken joints until legs and
arms moved easily. He was glad Of
the respite, for the slight withdrawing
Of the woman upon the couch had hurt
him to the quick. Not until the doll
was in perfect order did he turn and
take the slender hand In his strong,
warm clasp. With professional quick
ness he noted the irregular pulse and
heavy eyes.
"You did not sleep last night" he
said gently.
"No," she answered, quietly meet
ing his eyes.
With a sigh he left her side and
stood for long looking with unseeing
eyes into the old-fashioned garden
searching, as he daily searched, his
mind for some means of combating
the will Of the woman he desired
above all things to make his wife, and
as always he turned toward her feeling
the utter futility Of any effort hi
might make.
"You gain no strength" he said al
last, the misery in his heart told ir
the sudden strain of his voice. Fol
the moment the usually self-contained
physician was not himself. And words
ne felt should not be spoken at the
present time were forced from his lips
by his intolerable anxiety.
"If I thought my leaving you, Mar
geret. would be your gain, would &C
within the hour. But you need me
You need my strength, my under
standing. This, that you allow t.
stand between us Is false conception
of your physical condition. You hav'
Thought about yourself until you hav'
become obsessed by the idea that yo'
are helpless invalid"
"Will ever be strong, MAXI"
strength would come with happi
ness. II is happiness you are fightin
with all that is in you under the mis-
taken impression that you would max
Of my life failure by coming to me
whereas I need you more than | ca
say. I need peace Of mind. That
cannot have when I see you putin
from you the love God has implante
In your heart; that you have told m
you feel for me.
'aThe battle is going against you
dear. Each day I see It. It is tn
constant effort to keep the barrier b.
tween us that tells so upon you.
know this as your physician. l kno'
1t because of my love for you. VIII
are you so unwilling to allow me to |
the Judge of what is best for me
That Is what you are doing. Decidir
Tor me. Dear, no man who is ma
Is going to accept without protest sue
decision. If you care nothing T,
me there Is nothing more to be sal
] am man enough, l hope, to take n
medicine without whlmpering. b
you have told me that you do car
that you will not give yourself to n
because you will be drag upon n
llfe."
There was moment Of silence, tn,
she put her slender fingers about /
md rested her cheek against
hand. "Max, would that be at pea
If 1 did as you wish?' she asked &c
tly as she placed his hand over h
iaboring heart. "Would happiness &C