Palisadian., 1923-09-14


Pollard's in the laboratory was Of only
temporary nature. AS the days
passed she began to wonder whether
the next task he would undertake
would require mask. She dreaded
the day when he would face her un-
masked.
They would have to get acquainted
all over again, she was sure. Or per-
haps he would not even remain at the
foundation. He was a man whose de-
votion to science and humanity took
him far afield in his studies. She was
curious, yet she did not put her ques-
tions direct.
Then one day in the third week he
surprised her.
"Would you go to China with me,
Miss West?"
Corinth gasped little behind her
mask and for a brief instant or so she
thought that Doctor Pollard was pro-
posing, for once one of her admirers in
college days had asked her whether
she would go to South America with
him by way Of proposing.
"To China" repeated Corinth TO
gain time. How could he propose, she
was asking herself, when he hadn't
even seen her face?
'Why, yes" said the doctor, not in
the least embarrassed. "You see, I've
about made up my mind to spend
few months there. l can't make this
investigation complete unless / do. 1t
would be great help if you'd go
along. l can work almost twice as fast
with you on the job with me-"
"Who else would go2"
"No one" said the doctor, peerng
at the mask in surprise. "Why should
anyone else go? l rather had this in
mind when I asked them to give me
stenOgrapher-an assistant like you.
You see, it would be quite all right
for us to go to China together-where-
as, of course, 1t would be out of the
question to take girl of twenty"
II suppose So" said Corinth, who
was twenty-one, "and then it would be
like going travelling with an old-maid
aunt or something"
mot quite like that" said Pollard.
still without the least embarrassment.
But you know we never could have
got so well acquainted; never could
have got to be such good friends If
you'd been young girl. I'd have
fallen in love with you or you would
have been annoyed because l didn't.
You know how 1t Is But with YOU
why, we work together just like two
men. That's why l want you to go to
China with me. It's quite a trip, and
I could get some writing done If you
were along to take notes."
"I wouldn't wear mask" Corinth
laughed, with considerable embarrass-
ment. perhaps you wouldn't want me
to go if you knew how I looked"
Doctor Pollard became curious for
the first time to know how his assistant
looked. He was wondering whether
she had some unsightly scar or deform-
ity that prompted her remark and
that had made her so insistent on
keeping on her mask.
ut won't make any difference to
me-" said Pollard calamity. perhaps
you are oversensitive."
Corinth West laughed, and on the
impulse of the moment unfastened the
straps that held the mask in place.
Then she patted her hair little and
looked at Doctor Pollard in confusion
"Miss West!" he gasped. "Why, l
thought you were fifty. l asked for
a woman past middle age who under
stood chemistry"
II guess the other woman was. But
she couldn't come, so they sent me-"
said Corinth. 'I'm sorry"
Sorry that you are young and
beautiful?" asked Doctor Pollard, com
ing close to her to look intently into
what he felt sure was the most beauti-
full face he had ever seen.
yes" said Corinth, not finching I'M
der the close regard. 81 mean 1t. I'm
sorry because If 1 were fifty and plain
you'd want me to go to China with
you. Now you'll leave me"
The young doctor put two strong
hands on Corinth's slight shoulders. 81
understand now. I've been in love
with you all the time. thought 1t
was just friendship. It's come over
me now. And you will go to China
with me?"
COrinth nodded her head in a weak
little affirmative.
You SHALL" said the doctor, "but
you must go as my wife as well as my
cO-WOrker."