The Lakeland evening telegram., 1919-03-26
Margeret
s~1
BY SUSAN CLA0KTT

The cir was filed with the perfume
ef roses and the morning breeze blew
he ksht curtains to and fro and watt
q he delicious fragrance through the
spsn window. A little child was seat.
q spea The door burying q white
kittsn uAdsr the red rose petals she
I'D D0llsl from stems scattered about
Near ~ Nv 4 DOH very much un.
eEvsss1 Beside It q little pile Of
1al.lv As<AiAs ready for uss when her
nigt1sss rsmsaabsrsd what waS due b
rssDss1a1M4y.
WatshiAS he group with hstiess
syss ,was, q wonan. stsstchsd with an
hvaAl1 iAsetnsss upon eeaeA. Lis
tsnlng - ~ ehild's low talk, sAs
nugAt ~ sound Of q auick stsp upon
~ vssanda and faint gisam of color
soss b her facs to disappear bsfere q
nan sesppsd through the long window
Into tAe room; q man alert in move.
msnt whose keen eyes softened to 4
marvellous gsntleness - hs looked TO-
ward her.
With an almost imperceptible mo.
ton 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'e
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 Colum
bia has hurt herself and will have t
have an op'ration."
With gravity equaling her own, thu
physician took the doll and worked a.
stiff and broken joints until legs ant
arms moved easily. He was glad o.
the respite, for the slight withdrawing
Of the woman upon the couch had hur
him to the quick. Not until the dol
was In perfect order did he turn ant
take the slender hand in his strong
warm clasp. With professional quick
ness he noted the irregular pulse ant
heavy eyes.
"You did not sleep last night" h
said gently.
mo-" she answered, quietly meet
ing his eyes.
With a sigh he left her side AM
stood for long looking with unseein
eyes into the old-fashioned garden
searching, as he daily searched, hi
mind for some means Of c0mbatin
the will Of the woman he desire
above all things to make his wife, an
as always he turned toward her feelin
the utter futility Of any effort h
I might make.
"You gain no strength" he said q
last, the misery in his heart told !
the sudden strain of his voice. Fo
the moment the usually self-containe
physician was not himself. And word
he felt should not be spoken at th
present time were forced from his liT
by his intolerable anxiety.
II III I thought my leaving you, Ma
geret, would be your gain, I would q
within the hour. But you need m
You need my strength, my unde
standing. This, that you allow
stand between us is a false concepdo
Of your physical condition. You ha,
thought about yourself until you hay
become obsessed by the idea that ~
are helpless invalid"
"WIn I ever be strong, Maxf
ii strength would come with hapT
ness. II is happiness you are hghtil
with all that is in you under the mi
taken impression that you would NAL
Of my life a failure by coming to m
whereas I need you more than / CT
say. I need peace Of mind. That
! cannot have when I see you puttil
= from you the love God has implant'
z In your heart; that you have told =
! you feel for me.
I 'sThe battle is going against yC
Z dear. Each day see II. 1t is I
/ constant effort to keep the barrier
i! tween us that tells so upon you.
ilknow this as your physician. I knC
! Iit because of my love for you. w
Z are you so unwilling to allow me to
!; the Judge Of what Is best for m
i That is what you are doing. Decidi
I for me. Dear, no man who Is a m
! Ia going to accept without protest su
la decision. II you care nothing
B: me there is nothing more to be sa
= am man enough, I hope, to take
medicine without whimperlng. Z
you have told me that you do cal
that you will not give yourself to
because you will be q drag upon
life."
There was moment Of silence, II
she put her slender fingers about
and rested her cheek against
hand. "Max. would that be at pei
IL did as you wishf" she asked g
tly as she placed his hand over
laboring heart. "Would happiness C
tInue where there would be const
regret? You say / am obsessed