Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 76: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

74 parties I know feel mighty uncomfortable, and said parties ain’t a mile away either. Get out. You worry me. Get #5 It was unnecessary for him to insist. There was panic in her face and she seemed only too anxious to move on. “fT am going to hold you to strict ac- countability,” she said to Miss Powell as she left the room. ‘““You’re tryin’ to cry, ain’t youP” Jonesy said sympathetically when the head nurse had departed. ‘‘No use in that, child, just because you’ve got to—what was that she said? Oh, yes, she’s goin’ to hold you to strict accountability. I don’t lke her a little bit but when she puts it like that ’m goin’ to back her up. Gimme my medicine.” “Now, please lie down,” the student- nurse begged after giving him the bitter dose. He obeyed at once and as he lay back on the bed seized her hand and forced her to sit at his elbow. Jonesy looked up and saw that her tears were flowing freely. “There, there, child,” he said comfort- ingly, patting the back of her hand. “T guess I ought to be killed for the way I’ve treated you. You’ve been mighty good to me since I’ve been in this rotten place and just see how I’ve returned it. Now, don’t blubber, I keep tellin’ you. Lord knows you’re a hundred times better-look- ing twistin’ your face up just like that than Miss Simpson is when she tries to look pleasant. But it doesn’t pay, little girl; it lowers your average, don’t you see.” It seemed the more he talked the more copious were her tears. Desperately he raised himself on his elbow and said. ‘““Now cut out the weepin’.”’ Jonesy thumped her on the nose several times like a grocer testing a watermelon. With each thump there was a command. “Cut it out. Cut it out. Cut it out. Cut it out.” And at last she cut it out. Miss Powell smiled through her tears and then laughed. “Of all the rogues I’ve ever seen in my life you are the worst,” she said, putting Jonesy on his back once more by a motion of the hand. ‘Now let’s keep right still so you can get well. I want you to be out of this place in time for the pennant series.”’ His face lit up with joyous anticipation and she instantly regretted her remark. ‘““You reckon there’s a chance? Do you suppose the doc will let me off by that time?” he asked eagerly. Adventure She looked very serious. “Not if you allow yourself to get worked up like that,” Miss Powell replied. ‘“There is a chance if you will keep right still and try to get ready for it. But if you don’t look out you may be here much longer. First of all—forget baseball.”’ With a struggle Jonesy calmed down and forced his mind from the ball lot to a skiff at Five Lakes where he pictured himself in the act of reeling in a monster bass. So vivid was his imagination excitement began to rake his system and he voluntarily per- mitted the bass to get back in so he could dream of something less injurious. Jonesy’s gaze wandered to Miss Powell who was rock- ing in front of a window. She was pretty. It was not the first time he had rendered this decision, but it was the first time that he had been impressed exactly as he was now. What a perfect little wife she would make for—somebody; what a sweet little— mother. His own thoughts caused him to bury his face in his pillows and close his eyes. They had been closed but a moment before he felt the cover pulled gently to the vicinity of his chin and he was aware of a presence sublime and allaying. He heard the shades unrolling stealthily, the room grew dark and through half-closed eyes he saw Miss Powell resume her seat. ‘“She’s an angel, God bless her,”’ Jonesy to himself. “I’ve been too hard on her. When I get out of this PU—Dl have to buy her something nice.” He went off to sleep. said ate SUCCESSFULLY for several days maui did Jonesy fight down his im- patience to be out of the hospital. He heard the crowds yelling at Sportsman’s Park when the windows were up but did not allow the racket to seriously bother him. The team went on the road for four days and before it returned he had profited im- mensely through the peace and quiet. Then one day the yelling at the park was so con- tinuous he grew restless. ‘“‘Who are we playing?” he asked, as Miss Powell began lowering the windows. “I did hear this morning but I have for- gotten,” she replied, hoping this would settle him. However, Jonesy was not satis- fied and he fought a hard mental battle to back-trail the schedule. “‘This is the eighth, isn’t it?’’ he asked, hazily. CoOMmiclsoo CO