Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-07-08
cHAPTER xIx-continued.
-

~ him in the affairs of some water
company in San Francisco. When they
rot 10 the valley a city train was ar
rising and Peter saw-people looking
at hin furtively and sorrowfully. He
remen3 bered the many. many times
AIixhad waited for him at the trains:
he Glanced toward the big madrone
under which she always parked her
car. She was usually deep in a book
as he crossed from the train, but she
would fling it into the back seat and
make room for him beside her. The
dog would bound into the tonneau.
AK would hand her husband his
mail. the car would start with a great
plunge toward the mountain-toward
The cool garden high up on the ridge
Cherry looked small and pathetic in
her fresh black, and her face was
marked by secret incessant weeping.
But the nurses and doctors could not
say enough for her self-cOntr0l she
was always composed, always quietly
helpful and calm when they saw her,
and She was always busy. From early
morning, when she slipped into the
9Ick-rQpm, to stand looking ar the I'M
conscious Martin with a troubled, in
tent expression that the nurses came
to know well, until night, she moved
untiringly about the quiet, shaded
house. She supervised the Chinese
boy saw that the nurses had their
hours for rest and exercise, telephoned.
busted and arranged the rooms, saw
callers sweetly and patiently, filled
vases with flowers.
Every day she had several vigils in
the sickrOom. and every day at least
enc long talk with the doctors. Every
afternoon and evening had it's callers;
che and Peter were rarely alone.
Martin was utterly unconscious Of
the life that flowed on about him;
sometimes he seemed to recognize
Cherry, and would stare with painful
intentness into her face, but after a
few seconds his gaze would wander
70 the strange nurses, and the room
that he had never known, and with
Q puzzled sigh he would close his eyes
again and drift back into his own
strange world of pain, fever and IN
consciousness.
Almost every day there was the
sudden summons and panic in the old
house, Peter going toward the sick
room with thick beating at his heart,
Cherry entering, white-faced and with
terrified eyes, doctors and nurses gath
ering noiselessly near for the last
scene In the drama Of Martins suffer
Ing. But the release did not come
There would be murmurng among
the Doctors and nurses; the pulse was
gaining, not losing the apparently
fatal, final symptoms were proving
neither fatal nor final. The tension
wonld relax; a doctor would go, a
nurse slip from the room; Cherry,
looking anxiously from one face to
another, would breathe more easily.
II was inevitable, she knew that now
but It was not to be this minute; #
was not TO be this hour!
My dear-my dear!" Peter said to
her one day, when spent and shaken
she game stumbling from Martins bed
side and stood dazedly looking from
the window into the soaking October
forest, like a person stunned from a
blow. MY poor little Cherry If !
could spare you this"
Nobody can spare me noww she
Whispered. And very simply and
quietly she added: If I have been a
1osl--if have bean a selfish. wicked
girl PHI my life. I am punished.
"Cherryv" he protested, heartsick 10
see her so.
Was 1t wrong for us to love each
otner, Peter? she asked in low tone.
suIpose it was 1 suppose It was
but it never seemed rs If" she shut
ner eyes and shivered-"as if-this-
Wsald come Of it," she whispered.
Ihis!" he echoed aghast.
@0h, I think this 80 punishment"
Nnerry continued, in the same llfeless.
wear tone.
There was a silence. The rain
aripped and dripped from the red
woods, the room in which they stood
WIS IN twilight, s'en at noon. Peter
could think Of nothing to say.
Apout two weeks after the accident
mere was chaase In the tone Ct the
phEsicians who had been giving al
snoss all their hme to Martins case.
AsEe was no Sisible change in Mar.
I'm. put that fstt In itself was so sur
pfiSlng that +, was construed into
Qennlte hope that he would 1--we.
Aot as he had lived, they warned
~ vie. Il would be but a restricted
tAes tied t. his couch. or permitted.
- PES, to move about within a small
p0anc airy SA crutches.
Martin :! his wife exclaimed pite-
oasiT, WIEN this was first discussed
as has always been so strong-so
AnaepesLent! lie would rather-he
uuir Infinitely rather be dead" But
aer z nd was busy graspIng the pos.
snaas IS, too. He won't suffer too
h',.r ste asked fearfully.
4ncv FASTENED 70 assure be~ 4ha+