Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-03-22
CONVICT DAUGHTER
10 AND
BY CENTRAL PMSA >CA/
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

DASN w IL Ill Tile iOSplLdl COL-
ridor after Jim had been put to
sleep with hypodermic, Iona ac-
costed the doctor with anxious in
quiry in her eyes.
"He's out of his head" she fall
tered, but the doctor gave her a
reassuring pat on the back.
NASTY fall" he conceded. "But
he'll come around. Naturally he's
little fuddled. You look as if
you needed some sleep yourself,
young lady. Better go home and
rest"
"But are you sure he's--all
right?"
"Just you go home and forget
about him until morning. Stop
worrying. 1t will come out all
right" His voice was heartily con-
fident, and she allowed herself,
tiredly, to be convinced.
You'll call me if-anything hap
pens So" She still felt the need of
reinsurance.
"Of course. But nothing will
happen" The doctor patted her
shoulder again. you're to go
home" he said, in mock sternness.
Doctors orders"
In spite of her fears she had to
smile at his manner, and load
seemed to lift from her shoulders
as she turned away, leaving her
suddenly tired to the point of near
exhaustion.
Dinah and Mrs. Morriss were
waiting up anXiously when she ar
rived home. One look at her tired
face and Mrs. Morriss hustled her
into her own easy chair, pushing a
footstool beneath her feet.
mot a word until you've had
some hot tea," she ordered. It'll
bring in a tray"
She hustled out to the kitchen
and Iona rested her head on the
chair cushions gratefully.
us he-all right ?" Dinah man.
aged to whisper, despite her moth
er's orders "Jims going to be all
right, isn't he?"
Iona nodded. "The doctor thinks
so-oh, .Dinah!" She held out her
arms to the crippled girl, suddenly,
feeling the need of comfort. eff he
had died." she sobbed. II couldn't
have stood it if he had died! You
don't know" She broke off, and
the sobs she had kept back all
through that long vigil in the hos
pital came now, unchecked.
"Now, now!" Mrs. Morriss child
ed, gently, as she hustled back with
a tray bearing a steaming cup of
tea and a plate Of thin toast.
you'll feel better when you've eat
en-. You need something hot"
She warned Dinah back with a
glance, and began fussing over
Iona, putting a pillow to her back,
steadying the tray on her, trem-
bling knees. Like a mother would
fuss over her, Iona thought. The
mother she had never had. A sud-
den loneliness welled up within her,
C1llO O1lO dllIlOSL C11OhC0 OVCI I1CI
bite of toast.
you'll have to excuse me-" she
said. 1--WE been So-Worried. :.
And you-you're so good" She
broke off, and Mrs. Morriss wisely
pretended not to see the tears that
still blinded her.
"We heard about the accident
right away" she told Iona, mat
ter-of-factly. "Dinah wanted to
come to the hospital, but I knew
there was no use. I've been tele-
phoning, though, and the nurse
says Jim is doing fine. There's
nothing to worry about, my DEAR"
she smiled, and Iona felt better.
II think it's wonderful, Jim hav-
ing saved that mans life the way
he did," Dinah's blue eyes were
round and bright. "At the risk of
his own. It was-heroic."
"But how did you know about all
that?" Iona asked her, wondering.
"Thei Brighton News reporter
came right out as soon as it hap
pened. He didn't know you were
down at the bridge and he wanted
to get to you first with the news"
"A reporter! There was re-
porter here?" All Lona's old fears
came flooding back. "You mean
this will be in the papers?"
"Why, of course. Jim's hero.
Didn't you know that? It'll be the
headlines in the Brighton News to-
morrow night. Ellis Lanforth-he's
the reporter-said he was going to
bring up a camera and take your
picture, if he can find you in. And
he wants a picture of Jim, too, if
you have one"
mo, no! He can't" Iona pushed
back her tray so sharply the tea