The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-21

! dinary procedure on the part of the one l in charge, which excites no curiosity in those under her authority-and picking l up the order book as 1 passed the head nurses table, on which 1t lay, crossed l the ward with no trace of excitement in 1 my manner.
 Once in the hall, though, and away 1 from prying eyes, l let my anxiety give wings to my feet I did not wait for the elevator, but ran at breakneck speed down the winding flight of stairs and to the l physicians corridor. Breathless l ar rived at the house physicians door. It was open. He was not there. Opposite was his first assistants room. One hand clutching the order book and the other l clenched so that the nails dug into its palm, knocked, and did not walt for second summons to "come in" The first assistant was entertaining the house surgeon. They were lolling in easy chairs, their pipes in their mouths but as burst in upon them, shutting the door behind me, both sprang to their feet. know my soul was in my face. The first assistant came to where I stood, holding on to the knob, and swaying uncer tainly.
 What is the matter?" he demanded, snatching the order book from me and reaching for his fountain pen. You want an order? I can give itl I am Houser'
 "YesrI panted. "Quickl writel IT have-given Burke an-an overdosel A mistakel It-it was nitro-glycerine-two and half-srains!'
 The Horror of Suspense.
 He opened the order book and shut 1t. He looked ar the house surgeon. The house surgeon looked at him. Both of them were clever men. I had confidence in their ability. They held a whispered consultation. The olock-(or was 1t my hearD licked away the seconds. Why were they so slow?
 An order!"I groaned.
 But he did not write.
 Don't lose your nerve" the first as- sistant said to me. "Tell us, how did it happen?"
 'Srhe beds were changed while I was off duty. l was not told. I did not mo- ticel But hurry We are losing time! What is to be done7'
 "Nothing!'
 His voice sounded very far away. must have misunderstood him.
 "Nothing2"
 "No; I'm sorry, but there is no anti dote."
 The room reeled around me. But must keep my headl They seemed to have lost theirs
 But the stomach pumpi"I suggested, wild with impatience.
 Tt would do no good. Nitro-glycerine is a muscle poison. It is immediately taken up by the muscular tissue. We can only treat such symptoms as it arises. :"
 Then hope left me. 1.-TWO and a half grains! Two and half grains" rang in despairing cadence through my tortured brain.
 The house surgeon, a somewhat cynical | All o.. oil r ha1 bod no great liking, though I admitted his skill, said with real sympathy, which 1 shall never forget:
 Don't be too cut up over itl We'll stand by you! You may pull outl Who else knows?"
 i "Nobodyl I am in charge this after noonr'
 l "Goodl Then keep your own counsell''
 That's 1t! Don't show the white feath- erl" put in the acting house. "Go back to the ward act as if nothing had hap pened, and I'll be up presently and will :, hang around so as to do what can. 1 Burke has not friend in the world and his life is but burden to him and likely , to end at any moment from natural causes We will see to 1t that you are not blamed for his death," he added, with ! kindly intent.
 Was l a Murderer ] lOOhcu llilh III tllC CyCS' i 'If he dies' I said, very slowly, but very firmly, T do not wish to be shield l ed, though thank you for your willing ness to help me. I shall tell the super 1 intendent. I am not afraid of punish ment-only of being a-a murdererl'
 I went back to the ward. I glanced at the clock. I had been gone but five min utesl That was all as indicated by the l clock but it was an eternity as reckoned by the soul, which knows no time. i Burke was reading newspaper. He did not suspect! He must not knowl 1 passed on into the medicine room and measured out two and half grains of nitro-glycerine. Then l took it and gave it to the man who had exchanged beds with Burke and had missed his dose
 All that afternoon the first assistant re- mained In my ward. He had followed close in my wake, with his large history pad under his arm, and he busied him. self for hours making notes from the va rious charts and incorporating them into the physical history which is recorded of each patient and preserved in voluminous detail for future reference. Part of the