Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1911 — SHE CURED HIS SPRAINS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SHE CURED HIS SPRAINS

The Second One Was Higher Up Than the First

By CLARISSA MACKIE

“Goodby, good by!” called Leonard as the three ears rolled down the drive, tossing back a rainbow color of flying veils and waving bands. When they had disappeared he limped' up the steps to the veranda and threw himself in a wide hammock with a groan of relief. “Confound these shoes!” he muttered wrathfully, surveying the trim tan oxfords at the end of the hammock with an evil glance. “Eights he said they were, and when I tried them on they felt just right. By Jove, I believe he tricked me with a pair of sevens! The next time I buy shoes in baste I suppose I’ll repent, as J’m doing now. Why in thunder I didn’t bring another pair along—wow!” Mr. Leonard had untied the perky brown ribbon bow and painfully withdrawn a gorgeously clad foot from the tight shoe. A- eburring whiz on’ the bluestonc drive made him aware of the fact that some one had arrived. „ He dived down after the shoes, thrust them behind his back, brought down his toes and tucked them undera hastily-snatched cushion. His back was to the drive, but he heard a low murmur of voices and a man’s quick step, then a lighter step and the rustle of skirts. “Goodby, Laura. Thanks, Phil. You haven’t a moment to lose if you’re going to catch that train. Y'es, it looks deserted, but I’ll find some one about. Goodby.” The motor whizzed away, and then the clicking of high heeled shoes approached the door and the bell rang insistently. Leonard craned his neck to peep, and the hammock creaked betrayal of his presence. “Oh!” said the girl’s voice sweetly. “I wondered if the place was quite deserted. Mrs. Blake expected me, I believe.” Leonard thrust an embarrassed face above the hammock’s edge. “Pardon

my not getting up—er—but the fact is —er—l’m suffering from a sprain. I’m Mrs. Blake’s brother, and I’m sorry to say that the whole push have gone off for the day—a picnic at the beach, I believe—and every servant has either gone along or taken her afternoon off. If you will sit down”— He indicated a comfortable rocker at some distance from his hammock, but the girl ignored it and sank down into a deep wicker seat at the foot of his couch. “And you had to remain behind because of the sprain ?” she asked sympathetically. “What a pity!” “They left a lunch for me in the dining room, you know,” explained Leonard, trying not to stare at the lovely face framed in the soft dark hat. He loved bronze tinted hair and deep blue eyes shaded with golden brown lashes and creamy skin tinged with pink and a perfect nose and a— The lips parted in a little smile, showing just the sort of pearly teeth that Leonard admired. “I’m Marion West. Mrs. Blake asked, me for the week. I was coming yesterday, -but was prevented, so I wired her this morning I would arrive tonight on the 6:30.” “I’m Jack Leonard,” said that young man, mentally anathematizing the ill fate that made him appear at such' disadvantage when this delightful visitor was to be entertained. “My sister has gone for the day—er—l don’t suppose she expected you till 6:30. I might take you out in my car—perhaps we could catch them up. I know the road.” He made a tentative movement, remembered his predicament and sank back. His ribs encountered the sharp soles of the shoes, and he uttered a slight groan. “Oh, dear, you have hurt yourself.” cried Miss West compassionately. “Don’t stir, please. I shall get along famously until they return. Perhaps I’ll knock around the links—my clubs are here. . 1 “I’ll caddy for you,” volunteered Leonard eagerly, and then again he recollected. “Darn the luck.” he muttered under his breath. “Never mind; it is rather warm for golf. I shall go in- the farthest corner and, read awhile, Mr. Leonard,” Bhe said, stripping off her white gloves uid removing the hat from her pret-

ty hair and fluffing it up with ringless fingers. “Y’ou are to take a good long nap. I believe you were asleep when we drove up.” “Don’t go,” pleaded Leonard. “I couldn’t sleep a wink, you know.” Then slyly and with a strong effort to turn pale be added,-“It pains like the dickens, you know, and when I’m talking to you I don’t mind it a particle.” “Really?” she asked incredulously. “When did you sprain it and how?” “Yesterday— er—l should say immediately after my people went out this morning. Slipped, yon know, and twisted it. Funny things, sprains, eh?” “Very,” agreed Miss West demurely. Bringing forth a dainty workbag, she produced a piece of embroidery and busied herself with intricate stitches' “Haven’t you done anything to reduce the inflammation—applied a cold compress or anything like that?” “Nary thing,” returned Mr. Leonard cheerfully. “Pained me so I couldn't think what to do, so I went to sleep, lulled by pain, you know. Ever had the toothache?” “Never.” ‘ “Well, this is like a toothache in the ankle,” went on Mr. Leonard, elaborating his story with much care and quite reckless of consequences, “if you can imagine such a thing.” “I cannot. Fancy a toothache in one's ankle!” Miss West laughed more heartily than the occasion seemed to warrant, and Leonard, chilled by dark suspicion, wriggled his rascally toes still farther under the protecting cushion until that rutfly protection came very near dropping over the edge of the hammock. “You seem awfully uncomfortable,” volunteered Miss West. “Cannot Ido something for you—fetch a drink of water, turn your pillow—anything?" “Thank you, nc. I’m doing famously," said Leonard eagerly. “My back’s a bit strained too. Makes me restless. I’m afraid I’m bad company.” “Indeed no! You are most entertaining,” assured tbe girl sweetly. “And here is relief in sight. Surely this motherly looking creature can be no other than your absent cook!” “Maggie—ah, yes,” murmured Leonard helplessly, craning his neck to observe the approach of the squat form of the O’Brady who once had been his nurse and was now his sister’s cook. “She will go immediately to the kitchen," he continued as if by the power of suggestion he could sidetrack the oncoming disaster. But she didn’t go immediately to the kitchen. She paused in the path beyond the veranda and caught Leonard’s eye with her own keen blue orb. “Aha, Master Jack! And is this the way ye go to the city fer attending to Important bizness? Shame on ye for a home in the hammick when ye might be courtin’ most anny wan of them swate girls at the picnic!” “Mr. Leonard has met with an accident,” explained Miss West, suddenly appearing before Maggie O’Brady’s astonished eyes. “He sprained his ankle, and it has not yet been attended. You might bring some ice water and bandages. With murmured exclamations of distress at her favorite’s disaster and a bewildered wonderment at the vision of beauty on the veranda, Mrs. O’Brady pounded around the path to the kitchen. “Oh, by Jove!” groaned Mr. Leonard helplessly. “I don’t need Maggie, you know. My foot feels much better; I shall be able to walk before luncheon. Just head her off, won’t you, please?” Miss West’s pretty brows went up in puzzled Inquiry. “I should* think you would want it attended to, Mr. Leonard. You are suffering, and just a compress of ice water on your ankle will reduce the inflammation. Surely you will let her bandage it for you.” “Never!” cried Mr. Leonard wretchedly. Miss „ West laughed merrily—peal after peal of laughter that rippled from her pretty throat so contagiously that Jack Leonard joined in, although he did not understand in the least what it was all about.

The girl bent over her workbag a moment and then turned to him with dancing eyes. “I have here a cure for your indisposition, Mr. Leonard,” she said demurely. “While you apply it I shall run and tell Mrs. Maggie you are cured.” She held out between her dainty fingers a long embroidery needle threaded with purple silk, the very color of the socks between the pillow. “Upon —my word!" gasped Jack, blushing furiousjy.. “You knew all the time, Miss West?” He nodded toward his feet. “Yes, indeed, from the very first—they show so plainly from beneath the pillow. And the yellow shoes—you have bad one under each arm, and you have been so uncomfortable! I’ve been dying to tell you, but it was so funny, and you fairly fascinated me with the multiplicity of your—fabrications, shall I say?” “Lies,” said Jack, “plain, everyday lies.” And then he told the story of the tight shoes and the inquisitive toes and the brother-in-law, who Inconsiderately wore nines. “What would you do if you wanted to get around and take somebody motoring across country?” “While Maggie is conducting me to my room I advise you to put your offending shoes on Mr. Blake’s big boot trees and let them stretch. Then you can find a pair of tennis shoes somewhere, and, presto, we shall go motoring—if yon meant mg,” _ “There Is nobody else,” said Jack •fervently. “And the sprain—it is better?” laughed Miss West. , i “Worse—ft is higher up, cardiac region, and very serious,” answered Mr. Leonard, placing his hand on his heart. In the course of time Miss West found a cure for that sprain also

“LIES,” SAID JACK.