Show Daily Short Fiction Story BANDAGES By MOLLY Copyright 1914 by tho the McClure Newspaper Newspaper News News- paper Syndicate Perhaps oven even had BUt Billy heard the the- themo motor motor motor mo mo- mo- mo tor horn he might not have havo thrown himself him him- self back to avoid It it However Howe he had hac hadnot not nol heard It and since Ince It had been a speeding motor ho had had not a chance of ot saving him himself Con Consequently Bill Billy opened his his his' v very ry blue eyes a few tow da days 11 after the accident In a scone scene curiously Interesting to om ono who had never before seen cen the tho inside ola ofa ol ot ota a hospital Never in Billys Billy's checkered career had he awakened from sleep peep In a a. soft white sheeted bed with downy pillows nor had h he over seen leen at his bedside be a II gr great at bowl of ot carne carnations lions Ho lie drew in a a. long breath of or the fragrance and comfort and lind gazed Interested interestedly interestedly inter Inter- ested about nt at th the white clad nurses that flitted noiselessly noiselessly- about They seemed to be ministering angels At least th the unattended life lite Bill Billy had bad led I made mado him think of or them as f such uch I Maybe the old wolf a at t the door toor got me after all aU he muttered and this is Js what we call all heaven Did you speak a a. soft voice at this his elbow questioned Billy would have turned had his boo body permitted It His mind certainly leapt eagerly toward that other mind that had addressed himI himI himI him I was waR wondering he ho began but there thore are so IO many mony wonders onders that I cannot cannot cannot can can- not specify what wha t I wonder moat ho ended with a a. smile You were knO knocked kM down by a motor three days da ago the nurse told him gentl gently You a nasty cut on your our head and a broken arm Might have been bean worse woe was as Billys Billy's comment the while he longed to tn see seo the face taco of the girl When she arose he saw aw sawa a a. dainty oval face with eyes eye that were big and bright But Rut who is paying for all aU this His free hand swept In tho the room Mr air Marks of ot course it cour course ft e-ft it was wu entirely his fault He admits to speed and careless careless care care- less driving because ho he was in a desperate desperate desperate des des- hurry He lie has ordered the best attention for you OU and our head surgeon is in charge I I suppose I have tho the b best st nurse also ful suggested g Bill Billy It was rather a pity h he ml missed e-d e tho the color that sprang his hiI is companions companion's cheeks cheek In any an- case I 1 am a mighty might sight bettar better better bet bet- ter tar off ot than I Ivas was vas before There Ther was a teat great wolf prowling about m my hall ballroom room door door and what he wanted anted Is s more than I can C'An make out There was nothing In m my cupboard and nl no meat on my bones bones- perhaps he only onh wanted anted to sharpen his teeth on rn my bony structure The nurse dropped a 8 light que question more to humor Billy than for any other r rep reason f eon Oh ot yes be he answered I could have havea a 8 position if It I wanted It but a wistful smile mlle swept across his features I have ha spent pent my twenty five years eArs wanting to tobe tobe tobe be an artist and if it I cant can't bo be an artist artistI I would Just just as soon tho motor h had l finished finished fin fin- l h me meo Ho paused a a. moment then added I am glad now however to bo bl alive JIve I hope my dra drawings were not crushed under tinder the wheels wheel of or that carthey car carth car car- th they y aro are the best J I h ha have he e e done I will Inquire when Miss Marks comes today She Is the toe daughter of or the man who knocked you OU down don In a day da or SQ I will let her como come in and talk with you jou jouIt OU It Is 15 she who sends these The nurse Indicated tho the fragrant blossoms The entire family Is frightfully upset and want ant antto to do all they can for tor you ou I think It was I 1 who was upset hinted Billy Tho The girl irl laughed and told him to try to to get set a rest I I will dress your OUr arm this afternoon With that she left his side lido and Bill Billy found himself lonely During tho the da day he discovered ls the pencil lying on WB his table In the shadow of or the flowers erl Out of or sheer force of ot habit his fingers began beg tracing light sketches on tho the only available surface surface sur sur- face raco convenient His bandaged left lert arm held heM close to his bis side made an excellent ca easel al and Bm Billy became Interested In making tin tiny character heads head of the various vari vari- arlous various ous nurses and surgeons that flitted before before before be be- fore his quick eyes Linen Is la rather a good medium to work ork on he decided and smiled at the series of or little heads that arose Inose from the theban ban bandages oes on his arm Later In the da day when the nurse caught sight sight sight-of of ot his arms arm she cast a tender tender tender ten ten- der little smile at Billy Billy's Billys s drawings He Hemet Hemet Hemet met tho the smile with a half bait wistful expression ex expression expression ex- ex and determined to make a dozen little heads of his nurse The e contour of or her face fare wonderfully lovely She took oft off the bandages with a light r remark mark and put on fresh ones oneil She felt glad Iad for tor hI his sale sake that the out outer r linen lInon strips stripe could be changed dall dally daily It would be some Rome time before the Inner ones would be touched I If you OU continue a as nicely a as you have ha today I 1 will I let t Miss Marks see you the theda da day after tomorrow Bh she told him 1 When hen she had reached the outer lull halls the nurse looked long and critically at atthe atthe atthe the little sketches 8 on her patients patient's banda ban ban- da dages ell A soft oft smile curved her lips and anda a look took look of or surprise gathered In her In Intelligent Intelligent Intelligent In- In e eyes ee I will show them to uncle she said to herself I I feel sure there Is unusual talent here When her uncle a a. connoisseur and collector of or fine etchings saw the tho work hit his It genial smile ex expanded Where Is the lad Jad Ho Ito has a hl hug big fu future future tu fu- ture ahead of or him These sketches ha e all an the charm and daintiness of or a mas mas- ter The bo boy could make a fortune etching small man portrait heads I can recognize all these there nur nurses and doctors rs and andI I have o only ont met some ome of or them He lie looked keenly at his niece I will give e him nn Rn order for tor my own portrait portrait That wilt will give him a start oh olt When BIll Billy again saw Raw hl his nurse e there was an undercurrent of or happiness about her that made him curious to know Just what great reat event had taa taken n place during her hour out It Is quite tJ too wonderful she hc answered answered an an- his question swiftly I have hn shown your drawings to one one of or the bt best t critics In the country she tho ha paused al almost ale al most breathless and Oland and he ho ys' ys OU b be one of rr our foremost dt dry point etchers even even before that arm Is flout out of its alln sling Billy g M blankly at lit th the girl for a moment then a whimsical smile cr cre crept pt t tinto into hl his hta eyes oe eyel Ho put out hl hh lilt hand and and slipped It Into hors fart If It I were a hero In a st story rv book I would auld faint but faint but since Inco I am a hero in a most moet comfortable bed I can tl only thank i you you you- you you-you- you o his voice olce broke Th ThO sudden I realizing of ot his dreams was an emotional crisis he was scarcely atron strong enough to accept quietly quietly- yet et el he hI strove Itro to keep I calm The nurse nuro slipped away a so that he lie he 1 ml might ht think o over hi his good fortune in n peace and nei enjo enjoyment ment Later the she r returned I arid and brought with Uh her Ier perhaps tho the most beautiful girt girl EtlI Billy Billy- had ht er ever r rested rented hi his Artl artist t eyes e r ea upon She wa was Miss Marks I Continued on page hags S. S DAILY DALY SHORT STORY Continued from paRe page 4 and an Bi Billy she smiled most bewitchingly 1 I tell teU how dreadfully dreadfully dread dread- how Ilow Ho can cn ever you OU 10 fully wo we all al fe feel l that this accident happened bap- bap she said Mid quickly There Thre is Ie pene nothing m my ta father ther will wl not do for you ou She sat fat down beside him hint and anil Hl Hilly feasted feasted feast feast- ed his hIe eyes e while he tried tied desperately ly to e realize rele that he be was Bi Billy Blake Dake an erstwhile erst cist- rt- rt while artist Papa uPp wanted me to n ask rk k y you u. u first tint of ofRU all RU whether 1 or not you would accept 5 for the etching he ho picked up when when- when when-t her soft sort voice olce faltered When hen he picked me up up finished h hlll Billy Catch me nurse I think after au all ni I had better beter faint He lie 16 smiled into 0 Miss Marks Marks' e eyes el I I would have accepted accept ed 5 3 for it i before it-before before your our your father kindly knocked c ke me do down he ne added acde with a boyish laugh lug Also papa Also papa Is h roost most anxious to have havea a head hed of me done in that Fame same touch touch- he wn wants to know if I that will wl be your first work work when when you ou are away a from here her So S- S glanced about abut the room and back to Billys Billy's face Billys Billy's eyes e e sparkled and nd he began swiftly 1 to sketch on the bandage on his arm an Even Een before that he told h her r. r When Mix I Marks had hall gone cone taking her ond wonderful b beauty auty with her he he turned ture to the little nurse nura at his side elde I f b begin n. n to M sac light he said softly softy When en I am Rm sure aure It i has come to shine for tor good go may my I I- I I- I Ho lie He paused pue and his hl eyes Ce rested rete with wistful tenderness a on her tier May I t come coal and tell you 0 that tat I cannot go on living and Ind sketching unless you ou can rn love loe m meT mer r He watched at d the quick happiness in the girls girl's eyes eol I t knew the vt very ry ry moment I opened 1 my eyes even ee and an saw you ou beli beside de me that you must always re remain remain re- re main there if it I am om to fco bo o happy I 1 was wan wf co so afraid you U would fall taU In loewith love lo e with m my m cousin Miss JJ Marks Mark far admitted tho the little Ule nurse nUn after a a. momet moment It I took all U to let tier her my courage ore t ter come ce In In Billy You ou forget forg olet t I had ba ana already met you ad |