The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-03-04

growth, creeping nearer to the house. Her
nerve snapped.
Are you trying to make ne afraid?"
YES" said Nurse Silver, Il am. don't
trust you. You forget"
Nurse Cherry cOlOred angrily.
You might let me forget that wretched
But you might forget again."
AS she uttered the wOrds-like oil
smeared with doubt
Something forgotten.
She shivered as she looked up the well
of the. circular staircase, which was dimly
lit by an oil lamp suspended to a crOssbar.
| Shadows rode the walls and wiped out the
ceiling like a flock of sOOty bats.
An eerie place. Hiding holes on every
landing.
Nurse Cherry emembered the stout shut
tiers and the secure haSps. There had been
satisfaction in turning the house into a
fortress. But now, instead of a sense OF
security, she had a feeling of being Gagged.
She moved to the staircase.
While we're pickering" she said, were
neglecting the patient"
Nurse Silver called her back.
I'm on duty now"
Professional etiquette forbade any pro-
test. But Nurse Cherry looked after her
colleague with sharp envy.
She thought of the professors line brow,
his wasted, clear cut features and visionary
slate gray eyes, with yearnlng. For AFTER
three years of nursing children, with an
occasional mother and aunt, romance mad
entered her life.
From the first she had been interested in
her patient. She had scarcely eaten OF
slept until the crisis had passed. She
noticed, too, how his eyes followed heI
around the room, and how he could hardly
bear her out of his sight. Yesterday he
held her hand in his own thin fingers.
Marry me, Stella" he whispered.
Since then he called her Stella" Hell
name was music in her ears until her rap
ture was dashed by the fatal episode o.
the cylinder. She had to face the knOWl
edge that, in case of another relapse, Glen
dOwer's life hung upon a thread.
She was too wise to think further, so sht
5 began to speculate on Nurse Silver's char
acter. Hitherto they had met only at meaIs
when she had been taciturn and moody.
Tonight she had revealed a personal ami
I mus against herself and Nurse Cherry be
J, lieved she guessed its cause. The situation
/ was a hOtbed for jealousy. Two wOmel
were thrown into close contact with a pa
tient and a doctor, both of whom were un
married. Although Nurse Silver was tn
lill-favOred One, it was plain that she pos
lsessed her share of personal vanity. Nurs
e Cherry noticed, from her painful walk, tina
Il she wore shoes which were too small. Mol
than that, she had caught her in the az
These rather pitiful glimpses into the dar
heart of the warped woman made NurS
Cherry uneasy
The house was very still; she missed M
lures sounds of rain or wind against Il
window pane and the cheerful voices
the lies couple. The silence might be
lie background for sounds she did not wish
hear.
N She spoke aloud, for the sake of hearir
il CHEEKY if Silver plays up tonight. We
u Welt III hurry up Mrs. lies with Il
W superb
Her spirits rose as she opened the do
leading to the basement. The warm, spi
ls OdOr of the kitchen hOated up the she
9u staircase and she could see a bar Of yellC
u light from the half opened door.
81 When she entered she saw no signs
supper. Mrs. Iles-a s~trapping blonde WI
strawberry cheeks-saC at the kitchen tab
nt her head buried in her huge arms.
As Nurse Cherry shook her gently s
= raised her head.
- "Eh?" she said stupidity.
Gracious, Mrs. lies! Are you i'll"
"Eh2 Feel as If I'd one over the eign
"What on earth d'yOu mean2"
"What you call tight LOVe-a-duck, ]
- heads that swimmy@"
= Nurse Cherry looked suspiciOusly at
empty glass upon the dresser as Mrs. ii
Is, head dropped like a bleached sunhOW
IA. Nurse Silver heard her hurrying foOtstS
= on the stairs. She met her upon the lar
rst SAnything wrong?"
Mrs. lies. 1 think she's drunk.
= When Nurse Silver reached the kitcl
Us; after one glance she hoisted Mrs. lies
laI der the armpits and set her on unstea
TO feet.
"ObviousI' she said. 'Help get her
SIS stairsl Z"
iIe It was no easy task to drage TIVE
stone OF protesting Mrs. Hes up ID
r. flights Of stairs.
4n: "She feeTs like a centipede, with ev
cry pair Of feet going a different directlo
Tub Nurse Cherry painted, as they reached