The Coolidge examiner., 1935-02-08
BY r. ii. WILKINSON
G Bell sJldjeats.--wNU soTyles.

Sheila saw the marks Of strain
and worry that lined his face.
She saw eyes that were filed
with kindness and gentleness; eyes
that were at once alive and inter
esting. yet thoughtful and apprais
Ing.
lie came across the room and
spoke 10 her. introduced himself.
offered chair.
And for some unaccountahle rea-
son her heart began 60 pound. a
pounding she could not still.
There was something about him
his voice. his manner % walking.
the gentle appeal of his personal
lty. that sent the warm blood cours-
ing through her veins
And from tha, day forward
Shella was miserable.
She loved him
She admitted II frankly. but only
20 herself.
And this reluctance 20 release the
last fragment Of her crumpled reso-
lutlon only served 10 make the mis-
err In her heart more poignant.
Those others-her fellow nurses
who 50 openly discussed their re.
gard Tor handsome Doctor oakes"
found relief Tor their feelings In
those little Intimate tete n-tetes
tha, are forever In progress In one
room or another during the course
~ dny or night relief that
Sbeila would not permit her tr
tured soul
Never. she told herself. would
she admit or even hint Bt the depth
% this strange emotion that stirred
her ~ sound % Doctor oakes' n.
mIllar steps In the corridor. at sight
~ his tan form bent over an op.
Grating table.
There vas consolation IN the
tuoe ledge that Doctor Oakcs' az.
tlinde toward the obvious alrtn.
tlonsness ~ the other nurses was
quite phleemailc.
Though by The same token
Shella knew that should she heiray
her own feelings. her humiliation
would De- ten times greater: her
hurt unbeerable.
For even as Sheila was certain
~ her love for the man. she was
even more certain that that love
was n thousand times deeper and
more lasting than that 81 all her
companions combined
Shella knew Il couldn't last.
Sooner or later be- would have 70
know
Either that or she'd have 10 20
away. And OF the two courses that
were onen TO her she wondered on
more than one occasion II she had
the courage 20 choose the latter
For the present II was bearable;
though with each passing day the
torture Increased.
Her work brought her In close
contact with him.
Irony OF fate Il was.
For OF all those 60 choose from,
old and new. Doctor Oakes had Sc
lected her to aid him In the major
iiy of his operations.
Little did Se know that the act
was adding fuel TO the fires OF con-
fllct and suppressed emotion that
ragged within the girls soul.
II. AT first. Shella had dimly
hoped his discrimination for her at
tendance upon him was prompted
by personal interest. she hoped In
vain.
Not by the merest broadening OF
smile did the man indicate his
concern was other than profes-
sional.
During business hours he looked
upon her with the same expression
as he bestowed upon an unusual
streptOcocci infection.
And when, during Off hours, they
chanced TO meet I'm one OF the many
corridors. his greeting was nothing
more than the bright nod which he
reserved for all nurses alike.
The climax came six months aft
er the first day that Sheila had
stepped into Doctor Oakes' office.
The conflict In her soul had not
ragged without leaving physical
traces of its existence.
The color had left her cheeks.
There were rings under her eyes !
Her nerves were jumpy.
And when at last she was forced /
10 admit 30 herself that the end had !
come, that she must get away. she |
was thankful.
She thanked God for the courage |
that would enable her 10 depart /
from the hospital without betray. /
Ing her secret.