Evening star., 1919-03-23
BY HAPSBURG LIEBE

tient's quarters.
A shaded lamp. turned low, sat on a
still, pale figure on the ld-fashloned
canopied bed. Mrs. Batesford. who
sat at her daughters bedside. put q
finger against her lips when she saw
the two physicians enter. They un-
derstood: the girl was sleeping. John
Thayer walked softly to the bedside
and stood there looking down upon
the face of the woman he loved. ana
1T seemed angelic to him.
She awoke as though he had called
TO her to awake. Slowly the long
lashes We're lifted above the bright
blue eyes. slowly a little smile came
to her beautiful lips. She raised her
hand hand slightly for him to take; he
never, never let it go.
You are to be my doctor?" she
breathed, In her soft; musical voice,
Yes" he told her. a little thickly.
She drew her brows. Tell me- she !.
asked. did he appear to be sorry?'
Thayer put her fine hand down res
: gretfully. Very, very sorry" he an
swered readily.
Tell him that he may not see me
yet, but that he may write to me-"
murmured Miss Batesford. "And you
may bring the letters when you make
your daily visit. think I'd like you
to read them to me. DR.. Thayer, since
I'm not to be permitted to read a
single word Of anything"
Ihe young physician bit his lips
hard. ssurely she did not know, she
did not realize, the weight of the
thing she was asking.
II shall be pleased to do So" he re-
piled. And all the strength in him
was needed to keep emotion out OF
his voice.
Half an hour later the doctors left.
"Thayer." said the older man. as
they walked homeward in the star
light. remember that she must not
become in the least excited. The key
note is quietude and cheerfulness.
Please tell Byerly to put cheer in
his letters to her-tell him to write
every day to her and tell him to.
%te as Py se 1et5eE teF Rsy han the
for I knew you carod for her YOU !.
are by far the better man: but who
can understand the hearts of these
women? Who, indeed!"
Thayer made no reply. He felt that
there was no need of a reply.
You are her physician now. you
understand. and no more her lovert
Hadley went on. Don't let her use
her eyes; she must read nothing
nothing whatever for month: the
terrible, terrible. It's bit hard for
you to read the letters of the other
fellow. l know: but q doctor has lots
Of hard sba things noo to d. You %naer
with her physician are as inviolate as
the courts Of heaven"
ut seems to me-" muttered Thayer.
painedly. that she would want her
mother to read those letters"
ut is q peculiar modesty that pre-
vents her doing that" said the older
man. Girls either make their moth
ers entire confidantes. else they tell
their mothers very little Of their love
seems strange. too-belongs to the
latter class. Good night Thayer."
They parted. each going his sepa-
rate way.
On the next day John Thayer went
early to the home of the Batesfords
was SO dear to him. Because Of the
semi darkness Of the room. owing to
the drawn shades, he lighted the
lamp to read aloud the letter that
Jackson Byerly had written. And he
though every sentence Of the mfssive
declared an undying devotion.
Thank you. DOCTOR" said the young
woman when he had finished. 'Now
give 1t to me, please"
But you mustn't try to read it,"
smiled Thayer. "Dr. Hadley has for
hidden your reading anything, you
know"
"Yes. know-the least strain on the
nerves. understand" replied Miss
He gave her the letter then, and She
held 1t in her hands, her eyes closed.
for a long and silent minute. She
seemed entirely oblivious to the pain
she was causing him. But, thought
Thayer, as DR.. Hadley had said--who
could understand the hearts Of these
women! However. he told himself. she
had enough troubles OF her own TO
think about without considering his
peace Of mind.
So for weeL John Thayer went
through that gantlet Of fire--and the
last letter he read was as hard for d.
him as the first had been. He could
never get accustomed to 1t, and he
knew 1t.
But on the eighth day he went with
out letter. To his reat relief, old
Hadley was sitting at the young
woman's bedside.
The patient looked up. smiled sweet
ly in the semi-darkness, and asked
about the expected missive from
Byerly,
"In a moment" said Thayer. trying
to return her smile. "If you'll pardon
me, l must speak to DR.. Hadiey con-
cerning an important case. viii you
come to the hallway with me. doctorr'
The two physicians left the room.
Then Thayer took his friend by the
lapels and said in low and worried
tone:
II have called you out to ask your
advice. Jackson Byerly doesn't want
70 ho hurdaned with A wife who fs