The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1922-10-12
THE LITTLE GIRL
BY HELEN WAITE MUNRO


for 1t all When she saw wealthy
Charles Ladd's room full to overflow
ing with beautiful flowers, she sug
gested that he send few to "the lit
tie girl across the hail." who had none
Big-hearted Charles Ladd gladly act
ed upon the suggestion, without know.
ing that the little girl" was little
only in Nurse Cranes eyes-had, In
fact, reached the mature age of nine.
teen.
"Who was lovely enough to send
me these?" Lois Wilson queried as she
snatched the roses eagerly and cud-
died them against her cheek.
"Oh, a little boy across the hall,
who had more than he wanted" Nurse
Crane carelessly said, and immediate.
ly went away and forgot all about it.
| Lois sent note Of thanks the very
next day. She printed it, to make sure
the little boy" could read it-rather
crooked printing at that-appendi-
citis So, of course, he printed his re.
ply, and the childlike correspondence
fiourished until his broken leg had
|
the piazza, the very same day that
: she took her first trip there.
1t was Nurse Crane, as it happened,
who introduced the two, and her sur
prise at the misunderstanding was
! equal to theirs at finding each other
| grown up.
"Shall l play marbles with you, or
MI ;.,
asked after the first astonished ques-
tions and answers were over.
'Elther. as long as we play together
nicely and don't quarrel" he respond
ed, deciding that the hospital was not
quite the dreary place he had, up to
now, considered It,
The morning passed quickly, with
exchanged condolences and friendly
conversation. SO did the next, and sew
eral more following, until the two
felt like very old acquaintances. Then
came day when heavy, pouring rain
made the piazza impossible. Lois In
her room gave up to the queer bodily
aches and pains that had been grow
ing more and more troublesome
through the night, and to the queerer
heart-ache which had been developing
for several days.
Dr. Gordon looked grave when he
found her so.
Meanwhile, Charles was having
troubles of his own. For several days
he had been annoyed by very un-
comfortable little conscience. Now he
began to realize clearly the fact that
he. an honorable, upright young man,
engaged with all due formality to
Miss Sylvia Preston and receiving
daily dainty notes from her in her
distant home was falling deeply In
love with Miss Wilson.
When at last that long, dreary day
had worn to close and Charles was
trying to forget his perplexities and
settle down for the night, his atten-
ton was attracted to subdued com
motion across the hall. AT last low
moan reached him. He rang his bell
furiously and nurse responded. His
anxious Inquiries drew forth little in
formation, however.
He lay back on his pillow, great
beads of perspiration standing on his
forehead. "Lois-Lois," he whispered,
and knew that in losing her he had
lost his mate--the one woman de
signed for him.
1t was thus that Nurse Crane found
him when she made her morning
rounds She looked keenly at his
white, set face, smiled wise little
smile and said softly:
81 wouldn't worry. She Is better, 1
you know"
"She Do you mean Lols?" Charles
sat straight up, regardless of the in
jured leg
"Why, yes" Nurse Crane looked
puzzled, Didn't you know she was
taken worse yesterday and they had
to operate In the night? She has been
very low, but her condition Is quite
satisfactory now," she went on, motto
ing the anguished bewilderment In his
eyes, "and If all goes well she will
soon be back IN her old room"
did you care so much" she said.
More than all the world" he whis-
pered, and closed lis eyes as she tip
tOed from the room.
The days went by with Lois gaining
slowly.
On the day he was first TO visit Lois
he waited lmpatiently for the appoint
ed time, firm in this determination.
Mall time broke the tedlousness of his
waiting. There was the usual violet
scented envelope-the note was short
this time-his face altered strangely
as he read Sylvia, his old pal, had
found the same wonderful experience
that had come to him. She felt she
must tell him and break the engage
ment before his homecoming. Her
heart ached for him. but frankness
was the only way.
The clock struck three. Without |
waiting for the nurse, he made his way |
with surprising qulckness across the |
narrow hall and through the half-open |
door. Lois was lying, frail and sweet.
looking deep into the heart of one of |
his roses as though 10 read some word |