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Dody paid much attention to her, for
Mabel had the knack of monopoliz
ing admiration.
Nora was crying and she could .not
deliver her message to Tom for a
long time.
"You've got something to tell me,
Nora," said Tom, joking with her.
"Out with it!"
a Nora looked at him tragically.
ffP "Tnm. T T oan't " shf hurst, nnti
Tom stretched out his hand and
took the girl's in his. "Yes you can,
my dear," he said. "Is it something
about Mabel?"
Nora's tears flowed fast "She
she doesn't want to marry you,
Tom," she said. "And I think it's
wicked," she added, with flushed
cheeks.
Tom went very white, but he
looked at Nora steadfastly. "Did she
tell you to give me that message?"
he asked.
Nora nodded mutely. Tom stroked
her hand. "All right, my dear. I can
bear that, too!" he said.
"But I can't," said Nora in desper
ation. "Tom, do you know why?"
"I suppose she doesn't want to be
linked up with a broken cripple,"
said Tom. "Well, I don't blame her,
Nora."
"It's because she won't have any
one to rid&'with," said Nora. "I mean,
unless she rides with other meii.
"Tjhat's right," said Tom. "Tell
Mabel I release her. And, Nora, you
will come and sit with me sometimes,
won't you?"
"Indeed I will," said Nora. "I think,
you are as brave as the bravest man
. on earth."
Tom smiled, but afterward his face
grew very wistful. It was a black
future, that of a crippled man in a
W wheeled chair. Never again would
he stand on his own feet, never
would any of the delights of life be
his. And he missed Mabel. He
longed for her, and, though he could
not blame her for her decision, he
felt somehow aa if the fineness of her
the chance td say the first word!
Yet, as the days went by and Nont
kept her promise,Tom began to find
himself looking forward to the girl's"
advent. Nora and he had always been"
the best of friends, but now there
seemed the possibility of some deep
er feeling. There was that in the
girl which he had always thought to.
find in Mabel and never found; some
thing spiritual, some quality shyly
hiddenfrom the world which now
began to blossom for him. - "I
One day Nora came dancing into
his room.
"Tom," she said, "Dr. Tremayne
thinks he can cure you."
"Who is Dr. Tremayne?" asked
Tom.
"Why, the famous surgeon. Yoii
have heard of him." "
"How have you heard of him?"
asked Tom.
"Why, Tom, I I went tosee hinl
to ask about you. And he's 'coming
to Sudbury tomorrow week and
wants to make an examination." , '
Tojmwas deeply touched. He had
no heart to tell the, girl thath is case
had heen pronounced hopeless by the
best specialists in the land. He con
seated to 'see Tremayne.
"I carrcure you," said the surgeon,
after an hour's examination. "You
will -have to lie in plaster for six
weeks, but that's better than sitting '
in a chair for 60 years." '
"When can you do it?" asked Tom.
"Tomorrow," said Tremayne.
Tom had himself taken to the city
without telling Nora. But when he
f awoke from the chloroform it was td
find Nora seated at his side. And the
girl never left him by day until the
cast was taken off and Tom found t6
his delight that he could wriggle his
toes again. ' v
Nora had come up every morning
from Sudbury, returning at 'night1.
Nobody knew; they,thought she had
obtained a position in town. ,Mabel
knew least of all.
"Noray said Tom, "when-1 am well
'had vanished. Ji she had given him
Lyou are going to take me home.""1.
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