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Show r , - . :lan A IL A DD dd. n EJ I t i,( hv CUrlstlno Whiting rarmontor ,! jiyrtfni ' WNU Service " ApTER XI Continued I 15 , W i" said the nurse ; .' shadow in the doorway ": ;nl0 Matthew Adam a " .'l hnssnrd Matthew to he ., comfortably familiar , strnnpeness. Two quick ; -oidit him to Nancy's bed, ), !:,, down he lifted one of !:j jigontly. j - God!" he said, just like " nurse; and then anticl- Ijie question she was too : ( jsk : "Jack got there, Nan-;;. Nan-;;. t reJChcd Bartlett's before i . ; bu the wires were down i Bartlett couldn't call for Wi ' her husband was hunting 3 flie drifts. But If Jack -one there's no knowing U d have found you, Nancy. .'ill In, of course, but but ft; tie all right." 1; l3S Matt's verdict, not the te-.;. nor did he add that Jack nt a room away, fighting I b. -'a. Time enough for that '-e when she was stronger, y ie nurse warned: "That's I:: ;,t, Mr. Adam," and Nancy 'Is i ier' eyes, which had grown r c "and asked : "The chil-i';n' "Couldn't you .stay till l (u-UI, oft'?" she pleaded. "I'm kind of homesick." "We can't let you be homesick," he told her gravely, "but you mustn't talk." As the nurse (smiling in a manner man-ner that would have brought a blush to the young man's cheek If he hadn't been so utterly unself-con-scious In that moment) turned down the light and left them for a little lit-tle time, It seemed to Matt that all his weariness had dropped away. Nance wanted him there! No matter mat-ter what happened, he'd always have that to remember. He might be awkward awk-ward and bashful where most girls were concerned, but now, when she was weak and suffering, the one girl In the world had asked him to stand by. After all, life was pretty wonderful, thought Matthew Adam, forgetting in that moment, the grim fight waging In the room beyond. CHAPTER XII THE days that followed etched new lines in Columbine Nelson's face, for only a few hours after her second telegram to Massachusetts Jack took an unexpected turn for the worse. After this things went more smoothly, and the messages to Edge-mere Edge-mere contained only the best of news. Thus there came a day some two weeks later when Nance found herself in the big black walnut bed again, with General Grant looking down disapprovingly, she thought, on her Chinese coat; aud Mark Adam looking quite the opposite, as he stood in the doorway. "Perusing your fan mail?" he questioned soberly. Nancy laughed. Her bed was strewn with newspapers and letters, not to mention various telegrams from her admirers. "Come on in and be seated. No, not on the bed, Mark ! My feet don't seem to belong to me yet, and I've got the feeling that If anybody sits on 'em they'll break off ! Where's Matt? I want him to read some of these foolish letters. Can can you beat that?" She tossed him a missive; but before Mark had time to look at It, Aurora Tubbs puffed up the stairs. "What'll you have for dinner, Nancy? There's a steak, and some creamed potatoes, and some hothouse hot-house tomatoes that come by express ex-press this mornin' from 'a sincere admirer' in Fort Collins, whoever he is. Would you like apple pie, or -tzi i The young man threw her a reproachful re-proachful glance as he obeyed. "I note the fact that you used no powder or lipstick on my account, Miss Aladdin. Say I Auut Em sent in a big donation for the library. I left the books with Mary Taylor, but she suggested you might like to look 'em over here." "I would. I can hardly wait to get back to the library. Jnanita says " "All ready, feller," called Matthew Mat-thew from below. Mark went to the stairway and looked down. "Why don't you join us, brother? Nancy's been beautifying herself just for your benefit." Matthew obeyed, saying as he paused on the threshold : "I was only thinking that two callers might upset the invalid. How you feeling, Nance?" "Great! And don't call me an Invalid. In-valid. There's nothing the matter except that my feet feel sort of well, sort of brittle!" "Mark Adam," called Miss Columbine, Col-umbine, "you come right down. You've been there half an hour. It's Matt's turn now." "Coming," called Mark ; and then to Nancy : "I'll drop in later and let you know If your brother's hat still fits his head, my dear. So oil a(e," Matt answered; then, ' ti r of pain escaped her, "Oh, te; is it as bad as that?" e. ; very bad, indeed, but with to ' : strength came self-con-i i though there were times 5' r -m to come when her face : with anguish, no whimper is t the girl's lips again, by i she woke to find Cousin '! L; se beside her bed. mis do you feel, child?" The m ': voice was shaken with e ! N'ance scarcely recognized A-;: (,n'i i s Jack ?" she asked. "I'm v:-' than Jack. I . . ." art' teak words lagged, and : f'"1 Columbine said quickly : s!:"l brother's making a brave ""Is 1 3d. I always said he had ,s (:'' -m of a pioneer. And you " Xancy. I I am so proud said nothing for a little Si'1 Scenes from those tragic it is i -re crowding back. sere right about the the lich -. Cousin Columbine," she i till ' ! in a curious, small voice, for t;i -n, a tear slipping from be- "Shall I send for his people?" she questioned, when after a time that seemed endless a grave-eyed doctor emerged from the boy's room. "I should wait," he answered. "If Jack were my own son, Miss Nelson, Nel-son, and I so far away, I should say the same. You see, if the end comes, it will be soon ; and since his parents could not reach here in time to see him, isn't it kinder, and wiser too, not to harrow them with the knowledge of how dark the prospect looks just cow? If he lives through the night the boy will probably recover. I don't say that his condition isn't desperate ; but somehow I've the conviction that he'll make the grade." Miss Columbine did not leave the hospital that night; nor did she close her eyes till early morning when a nurse appeared to say that Tack seemed to have turned the corner and his physician felt the worst was over. Not until then did the old lady cry a little, and the doctor ordered a powder that brought sleep. It was almost noon when she heard a rap upon her door, and Matthew Adam entered IT llill JM Ml ,IJVr wSliSff long." As Mark departed, Matt drew a chair nearer the bed. "You appear to be submerged In letters, telegrams and the daily press," he told her, smiling. "How does It make you feel, Nance?" Her eyes lighted with something near amusement. "It may sound ungrateful, but most of this business makes me want to laugh. It's awful nice for every one to say such tilings about us; but I know, and you know, too, Matt, that anybody else would have done exactly what Jack and I did. It just happened to be us that's all." "I'm not so sure," said Matthew gravely. "I think you're wonderful, wonder-ful, Nancy." He blushed a little; and Nance said: "I'll' admit that Jack is. It took pluck to leave even the cold shelter of that bus, you know. But to make a fuss over me is is just ridiculous! I'd have been a coward cow-ard to watch those kiddies .freeze to death and not do everything I could. You know I would !" "Perusing Your Fan Mail?" ;ed !'f -r lashes : "I wish . . ." le air : do you wish, dear?" asked ireitt; . lady, bending closer, cart " tried f0 smile," but found d. As no spent to manage it. "I'm I'houf. -a little homesick," she ac- d a i 'i jed. e came in just then with a loctor; and Cousin Colum-t Colum-t out. They looked at her : brought another doctor to them. Nance wondered 4 -y were thiuking, but was '"'1 ;,oasl( anJ dropped asleep j left the room. 5 nijht when she opened Vj a;ain. A dim light burned, Iere"t nurse was there, and . :'tor. No, It wasn't a doc- meyo:) saw after a moment. It bv0t- Mtt Adam. She heard the T to tell Miss Nelson that wmt ms sleeping, and that """" consultation the doctors pU ' after all, she wouldn't ULJta't. , In the world, mused the room. "Did I wake you, Miss Columbine?" Colum-bine?" "No ; I was only snoozing. How's everything now, Matt?" The young man sat down on the bed and grinned at her. "Jack's sleeping naturally. Nancy Nan-cy isn't suffering this morning; and it looks as If the kids were coming through without a single amputation. amputa-tion. That Osgood boy's been telling me what happened. I tell you, Miss Columbine, I take off my hat to Jack and Nancy and to some of those brave youngsters, too." "I guess the papers didn't exaggerate exag-gerate this time," she observed. "You're right. But just the same, I miss my guess if it's not some shock to those young relatives of yours when they read the story ! How do you suppose it feels, Miss Columbine, to have the country regard re-gard you as heroic?" "Well, It won't hurt either of There was silence a moment before be-fore Matt asked : "Do you remember remem-ber the last time we sat under the old pine, Nancy? You told me then that your courage had never been tested and you wondered how you'd show up in a pinch. Well, you know now, don't you?" "I'd forgotten that," she answered an-swered softly ; then lowered her voice still more, her face flushing a little. "Matt, will you tell me something, honestly? I can't ask Cousin Columbine, she looks so worn and tired; and I've got to know. It's about my feet. .These papers said I'd lose them that my legs were frozen solid to the knees. Was that the truth?" "Yes, that was true, Nancy. I'm never going to forget the way I felt when the nurse told be an amputation am-putation wasn't necessary. I wanted want-ed to cheer, or or cry or something. some-thing. Miss Columbine did cry when I told her." 'nn cwnllowed and it struck a good baked custard? Miss Columbine Col-umbine says to order anything you want. My stars! Your bed's a perfect per-fect sight. I hope this praise you're getting won't turn your head." Nancy smiled and replied : "I'll choose the pie, Aurora. And could we open a can of your wonderful string beans?" "Sure we could. Why don't you ask right out to stay to dinner, Mark Adam? You might as well as to sit there lookin' hungry?" Mark shook his head, endeavoring endeavor-ing to appear grieved. "You wrong me, Aurora. I'm headed for Colorado Springs soon as my elder brother arrives from home in tlie new car. We're to swap vehicles; and I dare say Matt would appreciate that grudging invitation, in-vitation, though if you ask me, he's already enjoyed more than his share of our nation's heroine." itl'j half awake, could you i teet even if you wanted nurse was crazy. She "('! ".vour feet could be mis- ;: J Pair of gloves or a pock-: pock-: : "something ! The idea made . ! st 'wigli. Then, realizing . . ; was about to leave, x.; ; '' towesickness swept over .h . and she protested. 8. Matt 1" "le unexpected voice F L mirse: but Matthew and stood there looking tj The" some 0ne turned 'em," responded the old lady. "They've got the Nelson common sense. It's I who's likely to be puffed up, Matthew. Think of the courage it must have taken for a boy to start out In the teeth of such a storm, especially when the driver had disappeared. And Nancy! A girl brought up as she's been everything soft and easy so far to do what she did Well, all I can say is that my pioneer mother would have been proud of her!" Matt noted with pleasure that Miss Columbine spoke with her accustomed ac-customed briskness. "I think he's gettin' awful sweet on her," observed the woman, so soberly that Nance suppressed a smile. "So'm I," said Mark, and grinned at .Nancy. Aurora moved forward, her brow furrowed with worry. "I hope to goodness It won't make no trouble in the family, Mark-Adam. Mark-Adam. 'Twould break your mother's moth-er's heart if anything was to come between you boys. What are you laughlu' about now, Nancy Nelson? It's no laughin' matter for two brothers to get sweet on the same . . Tlfxrx lx,.rtflint-a Nance swallowed, and it struck the young man that she was still frightened. "Is there something else you want to know, Nance?" "Ouly only well, Mark carried me upstairs when I came home, Matt. Are my feet really all right, or . . ." So she's been lying there acting cheerful and worrying about that! thought Matthew. Oh, she was wonderful ! "Of course they're all right!" he reassured her. "You could walk on them now, only the doctor said you weren't to go too fast. That's straight, Nancy. I wouldn't deceive you at a time like this." The girl sank back limply against her pillows. "I suppose I'm a moron; but I've wanted to ask that question for days, and was too scared!" she smiled now, at her own foolishness, foolish-ness, and added: "If all those complimentary com-plimentary newspaper reporters knew I was terrified at the thought of ending my days in a wheelchair, I guess they'd be frightfully disillusioned disillu-sioned !" -Disillusioned !" Matt's eyes Hashed with protective indignation. "Disillusioned "Dis-illusioned ! Why " (TO BE CON TINTED.) j. :! His voice was heavy fffii .'?J long anxiety. Ti(3 's"Co"sin Columbine?" 2C0 1 It's pretty late. She's to tf here to keep an eye .OM f"' -hew w" . ;s a noticeable pause be-3sSlTl be-3sSlTl s,vorec, steadily: "Don't 'ai'k, Nancy. That kid's l "filter you ever saw !" ..... nt this, and go- f'v.T;' "(low, am something un-Mt-y ;"t,,e curtain; while Mat-,'."R Mat-,'."R llown. said quietly: folll" - ng 1 can do before girl. There was the Elton brothers up to Cripple Creek. They both fell in love with Sarah Teters and Yes, Miss Columbine" (as a warning warn-ing sounded from below), "I know you told me not to talk Nancy to death. I'm comin' now." "And she leaves us," Mark said tragically as Aurora fled, "in complete com-plete ignorance as to the fate of those unfortunate F.ltons ! I'll look in on Jack this afternoon, Nancy. Want me to take him some of this accumulation ?" "1 do if you won't forget to bring them back. I'm saving every one of the absurdities to show my grandchildren. grand-children. Jack's seen the papers, "You must go home today, Matthew," Mat-thew," she said later. "It's been a comfort knowing you were here; but your father needs you, and I'll not be babied any longer." The young man smiled. "I've had orders per telephone to stay on duty a day longer. Mark's on his way In from Prairie ranch right now. Mother's coming down In" the truck to take him home and, incidentally, pick out a new car! That's one good thing came out of this blizzard. Miss Columbine, we're practically forced to buy a decent automobile. The old one's done for; and even Dad can't rake up an excuse ex-cuse to nut us off. The Adam clan SL 1 ',, ,rrplevance. , JflV -'n Unt and didn't look '' V' t iU1; but the Kir' said: f: v Te u" the Ia to- ,oli ;, ? Promise you won't od 1 orry " lt8 v , lprotJ I'll stay down here pwr" tv,- f ' "ther thought Miss ybrS '-r"?1 need me in the 1)e i ,uT errilmls or some- ?coK: i 0(1 """'iedly. "Now f' .' '"ancy, and go to I suppose." Mark nodded. "He says he feels like Lindbergh ! The last' of those kids goes home today, Nance. It's wonderful how well they all came through." "Isn't it? 1 was so awfully afraid for some of them. It makes me shudder just to remember how they suffered. Is that Matt honking so cheerily below the window? Hand me that compact on the bureau, Mark. I expect I look a sight." is thrilled at the prospect. Miss Columbine laughed and said: "Your mother deserves n modern car if anybody does. Is Mark all right again?" "He'd come whether he was or not. All that kept Mark from join-In"- that rescue party, Miss Columbine Colum-bine was the fact that Aunt Em hid his clothes and locked the closet where Uncle Tom keeps his. I must run now and get a bite before I meet t'w family." |