That same day Blister was taken to a big, airy, private room with two
nurses in attendance.
For a time it seemed hopeless. And then the fates decided to spare
that valiant whimsical spirit and Death drew slowly back. The stallion
had been unshod, and to this and the semi-darkness Blister owed his
life.
I had met the girl frequently at the hospital and at last they told us
we could see Blister for a moment the next day. Ten o'clock was the
time set and as we sat in the visitor's room together, waiting, she
seemed worried.
"You should be more cheerful," I said. "The danger is past, or we
would not be allowed to see him."
"It isn't that," she replied. "I used to like horses. Now every horse
I see scares me to death." Then she hesitated and looked at me timidly.
"Well," I encouraged, "that's natural, what of it?"
"I've been thinking--" she said slowly, "every girl should like what
her husb--" she stopped and blushed till she looked like a rose in
confusion.
"Oh, I see what you mean," I said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Since you
care for Blister, you feel that you should also be interested in his
profession."
"That's it! You say things just right!" she exclaimed gratefully.
"You will get over this dread of horses," I assured her. "Because
there are murderers in the world you do not fear all men. Occasionally
there are bad horses, just as there are bad people. You shouldn't
judge all the splendid faithful creatures who spend their lives serving
us, by one vicious brute."
"Oh, I know that!" she said. "And I'll try as hard as ever I can to
get over it."
"This is quite a little woman . . . she has developed," I thought.
An unknown Blister with strange cavernous eyes, lay in the room to
which we were presently taken. I stood at the foot of the bed,
directly in his line of vision, but he did not seem to recognize me.
He looked through and beyond me. At last--
"Hello, Four Eyes!" came feebly from him. Slowly he became conscious
of the girl's face, looking down into his own. "You here, too?" he
questioned.
"Yes, dear," she said tremblingly.
The sight of the poor sick face was too much for her and she knelt
hastily to hide the tears. Then the round curve of her young bosom was
indented by his wasted shoulder as she bent and kissed him on the mouth.
A woeful scar across his cheek reddened against the white skin. A
flash of the old Blister appeared in the hollow eyes.
"There's class to that!" he said.