The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-18


flames burned without a flicker.
as II in a vacuum. Taking I'd
the pencil. she wrote again on one
Of the lists, dead. and on the
other, dying Tonight II was
more than ever necessary that she
did not make a mistake She
looked up from the table at the
oeo nearest her. The woman who
mad asked her mutely for water
was no longer there. The bed was
empty. She thought: That is the
first empty bed. Things must be
better now" And then she
realized that the bed was empty
only because so many patients had
died and been carried away.
When she lifted the stone lar to
empty the cool water into the
pitchers she staggered and let il
fall. Luckily. IL fell upright. so
that only little OF the precious
boiled water was spilled over her
feet. But she was frightened.
childishly. by her clumsiness and
afraid lest Miss MaeDsid might
appear suddenly and discover the
accident.
She thought. wildly: Il will not
be i'll. I will conquer it by force
of will. l will not admit it And
the memory of the folly she had
committed two nights ago when
she had drunk from the same cup
as the woman who died. returned
To her. Only it couldn't be that
she thought. Typhoid couldn't
come on so quickly as that" II
must only be WEAKNESS Selling her
now that the excitement had gone.
I've been living on nerves and
false energy for days"
She made the rounds, dragging
one foot after the other. and when
she returned TO the table the aw-
full still heat seemed intolerable.
Dimly she heard faint groan
and. rising, she went from bed
to bed, until at length she came
TO one in which lay girl who was
too weak to reach out for her cup
of water. Bending over her, Ed
wilma lifted the girl up and held
the cup TO her lips. When she mad
finished drinking she lay back
again very still. and. as Edwina
turned away from her. she saw
the major standing at the end OF
the bed, smiling at her in the soft
candlelight.
He said; Il couldn't sleep. I
thought I'd come in and talk to
you"
Even in her WEAKNESS she
knew that he was lying. She
knew all at once with a wave of
returning vitality that he had come
because he needed to see her as
she had needed to see him. and she
thought: II mustn't let him know
that l am i'll" So she smiled at
him and said, simply: I'm glad
They went to the end of the
room, where he sat on the table
as he had done two nights ago.
You're not tired ?" he asked.
mo"
"You can have more rest now
he said. There are two doctors
and three more nurses coming to-
morrow. You had better go back
to the mission"
Desperately she said, But
want to stay here. l must work.
must go on working"
You could still work You
could come here in the mornings
You'd be more comforts bic there
You could have a room of your
own"
She wanted to cry out. 1T is
too late" but she kept silence bc-
cause she had to crush back the
tears of happiness and weakness.
TT doesn't matter" she thought.
Nothing matters"
In the distance. from across the
Great Tank, came the sound of
drums. played by devout hands.
and then slowly the music of a
flute joined the sound of the
drums. and looking away from
him, she saw that the path Of
moonlight on the surface of the
Tank was dimmed by the first
faint glow of morning.
He, too. was listening. Present.
" he said. 1T is the Temple of
Vishnu welcoming another dawn"
Then he reached out and took her
hand, and for moment she felt
that she was fainting When she
looked at him she saw that the
smile had gone out of the gray
blue eyes and there was fear in
the face she loved so much. He
said, You are i'll. You have
fever"
No"
You shouldn't be here"
I'm only tired. that's all"
He did not answer her. He only
bent down from his great height
and lifted her from the chair.
I'm going to take you to your
bed"
She didn't resist. She didn't
struggle any longer. She felt his
arms about her and let her head
rest on his shoulder. She heard
the beating of the strong heart
and presently the touch of his
lips on her hair. He was carry
ing her out of the room, down the
stairs along the corridor TO the
little room she shared with Miss
Hodge. 1t was a short journey but
she wanted it to go on forever
while she lay there in his arms,
his heart beating against her ear.
In the little room he laid her
gently on the hard bench and
loosened the buttons Of the cheap
blue nurses uniform. Then he
said. IN 60 and waken Miss Mac
Daid. II will only mean an hour
more for her"
Come back. Don't stay away"
NO. I'll come right back.