Argosy All-Story Weekly, March 15, 1924 — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

MYSTERY .She was waiting, she assured herself, to thank Warren, for what he had done for her. It wouldn't be polite to leave without thanking him. He’d think her an ingrate. And so she waited. . She didn’t know exactly what had caused her to take offense at the pictures of girls that Warren had shown her on the occasion of her first visit; nor could she explain why all the breath in her body seemed to ex- pand within her when Warren came near her. And then, too, there was the phenome- non of her blushes. She could not see them, but she could feel them. , Warren was dismounting at he gates of the little corral where he kept two horses when she saw him. He apparently observed her at the same instant, for he started, ne- glected to turn the horse into the_corral or remove’ the saddle and bridle—and came toward her. There was ste-n reproof in his eyes as he came and stood at the edge of the poreh and looked at her. “I suppose ¥ ought to order you right back to bed,” he said severely. ‘‘ Shall Ip” “ Please don t,”? she smiled. “ Then I won't. »” He studied her criti- cally. such fine eyes, and if they did have them, did they always betray as much concern over every patient? Also she wondered if all doctors blushed when studying their patients?” “Well,” he said finally, ‘ ‘ vou look pretty comfortable. Any pain?” “ Just alittle. In the back of my head.” “ H-m!” he said, seeming to be suddenly alarmed. ‘“ ¥’ll have a look at that spot.” He stepped to her side and laid a hand on her head, searching with gentle fingers © for the abrasion with which he was familiar. After he found it he spent some time looking at it, smoothing her hair with a lightness that seemed much like a caress to her. She sat very quiet, waiting for him to finish. “It’s the prettiest. brown TI ever saw,” he said at length. ‘What is?” “Why, your hair,-of course. know that?” ‘“T knew it was — certainly. But J never thought of it as being g pretty.” ‘“ Blind!” he said. “ Oh,.blind!” Didn’t you But she wondered if all doctors had . LAND. 759 He suddenly became professional again. ‘Stil standing beside her he placed a hand gently and firmly under her chin and tilted her head back until she was forced to look into his eyes. But she thought his high color was not professional. ‘“ Do you feel any dizziness?” he asked. “None whatever.” She wondered if he would: consider her strange exhilaration diz- ziness? But of course he didn’t know how she felt, and she would never confess it. Yet she was certain he must see it, for his eyes were swimming with knowledge. “ H-m!”’ he said again, gravely, while the grip of his fingers on her chin increased. ‘“ Did any one ever tell you that you have 7 very—er—expressive eves?” x4 No. 19 ce H.- m! a? There was disbelief in Warren’s gaze, a sort of cynical incredulity. ‘‘ Strange,” he said. He released her chin, stepped back and sank into a chair. “ What is strange?” shé asked. | “That no one has ever mentioned your eyes. them?” ‘* Certainly.” ‘“H-m!”? Warren seemed disappointed over her instant admission. “ Do you mean Are you sure men have looked at that. other men have looked into them as I looked into them a minute ago?” “ If they had I should have ‘slapped their faces!” ~ “ Well, why didn’t you slap mine?” . Why, ” she said, astonished; ‘‘ you are . the doctor!” * Oh!” oo Warren smiled; he appeared relieved. But Eve divined Jealousy 1 in his attitude. She felt resentful. “ Are you in the habit of looking at girls like that?” she asked, a chill in her voice. “ Like what?” ‘The way you looked at me. Because if you are, I don’t think you are very nice!” ‘ Oh, look here now! A fellow can’t help seeing girls.” ye Well, he doesn’t have to. [ae at them like that.” ‘“T never did. It seems to me that you are the first girl E ever really looked at. In that way, I mean.” VN Vy) (© COMmiiclooe