Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1907 — Nordine’s-Nurse [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Nordine’s-Nurse

...By... Marshall Cromwell.

Helen Puget started through the open .door of the stateroom with Increasing wonder. The single occupant of the apartment lay with bis head back against the cushions, his face twisted into the most horrible grimaces. Occasionally be would move bis head weakly from side to side, only to return again to his facial contortions. At last she could stand it no longer, and, leaving her section, she crossed to the door of the stateroom. If the man was subject to such attacks his nurse should uot have left him alone, yet she had seen the attendant slip forward to where she knew the case caf to be. “Can I be of any service?” sbe called as she stood uncertainly in the doorway, The man looked up, with a wan smile.

“Please don’t laugh,” he said as she approached, ‘‘but there Is a fly on my nose, and I’ve been trying for the last ten minutes to dislodge it. I can’t use my hands, you see,” with a glance at his bandaged arms, “and I can’t wrinkle my nose enough to scare him off.” Gravely Helen drove off the offending Insect with the absurd little square of cambric that sbe called a handkerchief, and the man smiled gratefully into Her sympathetic eyes. “It must seem absurd,” he said, “but that fly was driving me crazy. I told my nurse that he could go forward an& have a suioke If he wanted to. I am just recovering from an accident,” “I thought you were having—a—fit,” she explained, with a delicious littl4 laugh. “I have the sectlou Just outside of the door, and I sat and watched you until I became afraid that something serious might happen.” “I should have been a gibbering Idiot In another minute,” he declared. “I never felt so helpless In my life.” "I can understand,” she said sympathetically. “It must be awful to be so helpless.” ”1 am very much obliged to you," he said warmly. “It was very good of you to come to my relief.” “l am glad to have been of service,” she said simply. “I 6hall keep an eye on you. If you need anything before your attendant gets back. Just call me.” She went back to her section and took up ber book again, but her thoughts were not on the printed page. She was thinking of the man in the stateroom. He was a man to appeal to women; a strong, mqnly fellow with

frank eyes and an honest mouth. His very suggestion of strength seemed to render his helplessness the more pitiful. The nurse seemed au inexcusable time returning, and once or twice she went to the door to ask if there was anything that she might do. The second time he asked that she seud forward for and she summoned the porter. - That functionary presently returned with a doleful face. “Ah doan’ fin’ him,” he reported. “He ain’t in the case car.” Nordine asked that search be continued, but at the next stop the mystery was solved. The nurse had been left behind at the last station when he stepped out for a breath of air. He wired that he would follow on the next train. Nordine looked dismayed. “I guess I shall have to wire ahead .for a nurse,” he said. “Titus won’t catch up with me until we reach Chicago, and in the meantime I shall be helpless.” “Will It delay your trip seriously?” asked Helen, noting the look of disappointment that came to his face. “My sister is to be married tomorrow night,” he explained. “Unless I can get a nurse by wire I shall not get there In time. I am In no shape to make train changes alone.” ( Helen picked up the message that the porter had written and glanced at It “Are you Albert Nordine?” she asked. The man nodded. “I am Helen Paget" She explained. “I am to be yonr sister’s maid of honor. I came from - London, and the l»at was late. I was afraid that I should not be able to get there In time.

Why can't I be your none, Mr, Nor* dine? Hie porter will help. It will be better than getting some unknown' person, even If you are able to arrange the matter by wire.” ' Nordlne looked at her gratefully. “I wish you could see how much like an angel from heaven yon look to me,” he said earnestly. Helen glanced In the mirror and ianghed. “I hope I’m not growing wings,” she said. “It would entirely spoil the fit of my dress, and Bertha and I should both be disconsolate. I think I’d rather be Just a plain mortal.” ‘"You could not be a plain mortal,” he said with an emphasis on the adjective as he glanced into the pretty face. She colored at the compliment and assumed a professional air to cover her embarrassment. “You must not flirt with your nurse,” she ordered. She sank into the seat beside him that he might not see the pity In her eyes. She, knew now the reason for the bandages, for she had read the story of how be had rescued a tiny nephew from the blazing summer home on the Hudson. To Nordlne the world had suddenly grown bright again. He was not able to read and he had been utterly miserable in the solitude *f the stateroom, shut off from his fellow travelers In thd Pullman. Now, with Helen to talk to, he even forgot the smart of his wounds. He was a capital talker, and lon 'icfore the call for dinner came they were fast friends. \ He had the meal brought Into the stateroom and she fed him with pretty solicitude for his comfort. He wondered If such meals of nectar and ambrosia were ever served upon Olympus, and he was sorry when the waiter at last came to take the tray. He was still more regretful when the porter came to put him to bed, byt sleep came quickly to his contented mind, and In his dreams Helen was with him again. She came to him In the morning as soon as the stateroom had been made up, and the day passed all too rapidly. He was sorry when at last the long strings of freight cars announced their approach to Chicago, and she left him to get her things together. His brother-in-law to be met him at one of the suburban stations and rode into the city with them. With bis help the transfer to a carriage was easily accomplished. His sister was delighted at the story they told, and that evening as she stood In her bridal finery she whispered to Helen her wish that the girl would be the next of their acquaintances to wear the veil and orange blossoms. Helen blushed and declared the Impossibility of such an occurrence, but later In the evening as she stood on the steps watching the departure of the bridal pair Nordlne came up to her. “You’ll have to throw my Share of the rice, t8o,” be said, with a smile. “Do you suppose, Nell, that some day you could learn to care so much for me that we can drive off together with the rice and the old shoes and the good wishes following in our wake?” “Perhaps I might learn,” she said as her eyes were veiled behind the long lashes to hide how much she already cared. “I think I had my first lesson on the train.” Other guests came near them, and she made a gesture of warning. “Do you know,” he said, trying to make his tones careless, “I am going to give Titus doubje pay because he got lost.” “I think he deserved it,” she agreed, with a smile so illuminating Nordine could scarcely refrain from kissing her in the presence of them all, for in the soft brown eyes he read the message and knew that Nell had already learned. •

SHE FED HIM WITH PRETTY SOLICITUDE FOR HIS COMFORT.