The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-06-16
LOVE AND THE
PAY PATIENT.
BY L. e. EBERlE.

He signed his name Robert w. Ed
wards, NJ. D., and had paid several
greatly valued dollars to have 1t put on
neat brass plate. But really he was
DR.. Bob, though he never heard him.
self called thus till after the very end
of the story.
1t was Miss Eleanor Blake who
called him DIR. Bob. She was careful
to let none but her own ears hear the
words. When she spoke to him or Of
him she was most punetilious and re-
spectful
Miss Eleanor Blake was DIR. Bob's
Office nurse. Their attitudes toward
one another were impeccably profess
sional, but by strange coincidence DIR.
Bob also dropped the formal Miss
Blake" when conyersing to his own
inner consciousness concerning her.
She became Nellie" on these occa-
sions. which were numerous.
Miss Nurse Blake was well born.
She had perceptions. 1t went to her
wholesome heart to see with what
smiling poise DIR. Bob waited-and
waited. He did not adopt bravado.
He never grew embarrassed or apo
logetic, nor did he finch in meeting
her eyes day after day in the empty
rooms.
So she loved him, quite hopelessly.
she assured herself, for his quiet, pro-
fessional manner never broke through
once
Then came the first call Eleanor
answered the telephone and kept all
the citation that was humping up aud
down In her heart out of her quiet,
businesslike voice as she reported to
DR.. Bob. She was only sorry that the
patient had not come to the office SO
that she might have the glory of ush-
ering him In.
DIR. Edwards hurried to the address
she gave him. He said, Il don't think
! shall be long, Miss Blake" and she
said, Very well, DR.. Edwards"
The address did not indicate very
good part of the city. He could not
expect a rich call from that quarter.
But 1t was beginning--a beginning.
1t took DR.. Bob some time to reach
the address given him. for 1t led him
by devious ways to an old office build
ing, up many flights Of rlekety stairs
and to a dark room at the end of
hall. There was no response when he
knocked, but frowsy boy from the
next office appeared.
You Doct Edwardsi" he asked.
Or. Bob admitted that he was.
"He told me t give you this here"
said the boy and handed him a folded
paper, then disappeared. DIR. Edwards
opened the paper. The words Fooled
again" and a slangy sentence or two
greeted his eyes. He went downstairs,
wondering which of the fellows at the
clinic had devised the subtle Joke.
DR.. Bob returned quietly to his Of
fee Eleanor as she saw him return SO
soon. with his face more quietly CON-
posed than ever, conjectured that he
had found his patient beyond human
help. She was sorry on his account.
She tried to work off her vague feel
ing Of sympathy. for she did not know
what, by going into the operating room
and cleaning again the often cleaned
but never used Instruments She stay
ed at her work till after hours, till
suddenly the consciousness that she
was alone and lonely came over her.
She finished her task quickly, then
quietly opened the door into Dr. Bob's
Office.
Dr. Bob was sitting at his desk, his
arms across 1t and his head on his
arms. There was stiffness about him,
look Of having been motionless for
ever, that brought Eleanor to his side
with one terrified dart. She seized his
hands, and he looked up at her. His
stiffness was pain, not-what she had
feared.
That foolish Joke had brought down
crushingly on his head all the burden
Of all that waiting and hoping, and the
sight Of 1t took away every conscious
thought In Eleanor save that the man
she loved was suffering.
She took his hands In hers, whisper
Ing in mechanical way: LET me
help. Let me help. Let me help" But
she was scarcely aware of It.
DR. Bob looked at her with light in
his eyes. He laid his hands on her
shoulders and gazed down at her with
face wise and loving.
when the first patient comes" he
said.
Eleanor decided against the new
summer suit She was saving very
strenuously, for she had a purpose in
view.
Then she put on her hat and went to
call on cousin. The cousin had mar
ried poor. had swarm Of children and
was chronlcally ILL., When Eleanor
came away the cousin said she'd 60 to
the doctor tomorrow and swore be-
tween kisses, hugs and fearful maun-
behring's that she'd never, never tell
who had sent her
The patient-the first patient-was
to arrive the next day! The weather
was the hot, soggy kind that enervates
a spring feverish world In May. The
saving that Eleanor had done had
meant much overwork and late hours.
She was physically at her limpest and
nervously at her most uneven. She
was haggard with anxiety and was
made coward by each footstep
sounding near the door.
The hour came for Rhoda-but no
Rhoda came with the hour. Eleanor
watched eagerly from the window.
And then she saw Rhoda at last.
Rhoda was stealing swiftly along
the opposite side Of the street, In her
hand box containing the chiefest
treasure from the window of a big
milliners store. the purse that had
contained Eleanor's savings clutcheA
~ tightly in her hand as II 1t still had
In 1t the money that had been tempted
from her.
Eleanor obeyed blind impulse.
With one reckless rush she left the Of
Zee door and plunged into the stream
Of passing vehicles and across the
street.
A moment later she was lying white
on the pavement, blood trickling from
her shoulder, and crowd gathering