Show IRONY OF FATE by R H WILKINSON p bell syndicate service with the day shella sheila BEGINNING nake flake commenced her duties at based the bellevue hospital she promised herself that under no conditions dit ions lons would she fall in love with dr julian oakes the resolution was r rade ade entirely because of hearsay until the moment she stepped into doctor oakes office garbed in her lm im maculate starched uniform she had not set eyes on oil the unsuspecting object of her self denial and for this reason sheila can be be forgiven for so hasty hafty a decision foras sheila stood there just inside the office door and looked across the room at the tall spare man who at the moment was stooped over a filing cabinet understanding came in one breathtaking breath taking moment she knew why it was that all the other nurses with no exceptions so frankly admitted their affection for this noble featured surgeon he looked up at her and smiled sheila saw the marks of strain and worry that lined his face she saw eyes that were filled with kindness and gentleness eyes that were at once alive and interesting yet thoughtful and appraising he came across the room and spoke to her introduced himself offered a chair and for some unaccountable reason her heart began to pound a pounding she could not still there was something about him his tol voice i ce his manner of walking 0 the gentle appeal of his personality that sent the warm blood coursing through gli her veins and from that day forward sheila was miserable I 1 she loved him she admitted it frankly but only to ber herself self and this reluctance to release the last fragment of her crumpled resolution only served to make the misery in her heart more poignant those others lier her fellow nurses who so openly discussed their regard for handsome doctor oakes found relief tor for their beelin feelings s in those little intimate tete a betes that are forever in progress in one room or another during the course of a day or night I 1 a relief that sheila would not permit her tortured soul never she told herself would she admit or even hint at the depth of this strange emotion that stirred her at sound of doctor oakes familiar steps in the corridor at sight of his tall form bent over an operating table there was consolation in the knowledge i th that a t doctor oakes attitude toward the obvious ous nesi of the other nurses was quite phlegmatic though by the same token sheila knew v that should she betray her own feelings her humiliation would be 10 times greater her hurt unbearable for even as sheila was certain of her love tor for the man she was even more certain that that love was a thou sand times deeper and more lasting than that of all her companions com blued sheila knew it last sooner or later he be would have to know either that or shed have to go away and atthe of the two courses that were open to her she wondered on more than one occasion it if she had t the be courage to choose the latter 5 for the present it was bearable t though hough with each passing day the torf ture increased her work brought her in close con lj tact with him irony of fate it was r for or of all those to choose from old and new dew D doctor octor oakes had selected h acer er to aid h him im in the majority of his operations little did he know that the act was ri adding 1119 fuel uel to the fires of conflict and suppressed oppressed emotion that raged within the girls soul it if at first S sheila hella had dimly hoped his di discrimination for her attendance upon 1 him was prompted by personal interest she hoped in vain not ut DY by the merest broadening of a mile did the man indicate his concern was other than professional during business hours be looked upon her with will the same expression as he be bestowed upon an unusual streptococci infection and when during off hours they t chanced to meet in one of the many I 1 corridors his greeting was nothing i more lapre than the bright nod which he 11 y reserved for all nurses alike f tile the climax came six months after the first day that sheila had stepped ly into to doctor oakes office p the conflict in her soul had not 1 raged without leaving physical traces jl ot of its existence the color had left her cheeks checks y there were rings under her eyes tc ner her nerves were jumpy p i and when at last she was forced to k admit to herself that the end had come that she must get away site she was thankful she thanked god for the courage that would enable her to lepart depart from the hospital betraying her secret it was mid afternoon when sheila descended to the floor whore where the super luten intendente dents office was located the corridor was empty the hospital unusually quiet but us its sheila hurried past one door after another the quietude was abruptly interrupted A door was flung open and a doctor emerged ile he stared wildly about him tor for an instant and his eyes fell ou on sheila aie he gestured excitedly quick I 1 its doctor oakes we must operate at oncel once hes collapsed as a result of overwork and strain Sh eilas heart stood still for just a moment she hesitated the doctor had gone the corridor was empty again beyond lay the superintendents office could she go 0 o through with it on top of everything else this would her nerves stand the strain other nurses were available there was one in the corridor now she shuddered at the thought another in attendance while an op oration was being performed on this man who had stirred the very depths of her soul I 1 unbearable sheila steeled herself to the task it was tile the smile with which he had looked upon her before going under t the to ether that steadied her that bore lier her up during that delicate performance of the surgeons and now it was over things swayed crazily sheila leaned against the wall for support she felt herself sinking knew that she had found a chair she tried bravely to rally how humiliating for them to find her like this and her last operation too but no one was looking no one paying any attention doctor oakes was comin coming out of the ether she heard him moan she stood up tried to reach the door failed she must go must get away from him he was safe now it would be better that she wait until hed re regained consciousness better that she look into his bis eyes again she clutched at the door jamb the unconscious man was talking mumbling incoherently sheila tried not to listen tried not to hear his voice and then her grip on the door jamb tightened her heart stood utterly still A strange nausea swept over her but through the thickness of it she heard doctor oakes voice clearer now more distinct unmistakable sheila darling come to me oh its bee been torture not telling you trying not to let you know I 1 loved you silly I 1 was to even think there was a chance that you could care why im so much older of course you care no fault of yours idiot I 1 was for even thinking but its got the best of me I 1 must get away some place where I 1 can forget darling I 1 love you |