Page:Frank Owen - Woman Without Love (1949 reprint).djvu/84

 But those ten years had not been unhappy ones. They were perhaps the calmest she had ever lived. Gradually she had weeded out her clientele until only the best men came to her. Best insofar as position was concerned. She was not interested in their religious prejudices. During her residence in Peoria, Louella went to church regularly. The services meant no more to her than a visit to the theatre. She simply went because she imagined it gave her background. She wished to appear refined. In any event her churchly visits gave her an opportunity to wear stunning clothes. Men were captivated by her appearance.

Many of them who visited her house liked to sit and talk with her. In her they found a willing listener. Listening is a fine art. Louella knew this and cultivated it. Many a person has earned the title of philosopher simply because he was able to keep quiet and not proclaim his own ignorance. Louella's men poured out all their troubles, domestic, business, financial and even their affairs of the heart that had turned out disastrously. Louella listened to the stories and was sympathetic. She gave advice only when she was asked for it, and then the scantiest, and most evasive. She had learned that it wasn't good to be too definite because if the advice were wrong, it might lead to angry interludes. This she wished to avoid.

Her friends were among the young and old. Bruce Webster was one of them. He was a young interne at the Children's Hospital. He took his work seriously and the little tots were never out of his mind. When he saw them suffering he was unutterably miserable. He often stayed on duty long after he had been relieved. Somehow he simply couldn't pull himself away from the children.

He was a born doctor. His hands were gentle, healing. When he touched little feverish brows with his slim fingers all pain vanished. At least many children declared that it did and in time he grew to believe there might be something in what they said. He tried to have faith in his healing power.

He wanted to be the most famous children's doctor in America. When he was not on duty he studied until far into the night. He hardly ever slept more than a few hours at a time. When his