The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30
THE COST OF LOVING
By FREDERICK ORN BARTLETT

AhNchSh ohN Ohf6 thoAA Nv ANSt VI
her. At present they were unusually
alert.
In contrast to the isolated boarding
house Dom from which they had
brought her life here fairly buzzed.
The plants and groanings Of her fell
low patients, the shadowlike move
ments Of the nurses, the constant COM
ing and going of the young doctors
on their unknown errands. the catlike
tread Of hfe through the night, the
u~ndercurrent Of suspense and her own
helplessness in the midst Of It kept
her on guard.
The nurses. drawn to her at once,
tried to reassure her, but to little pur-
pose, because Gretzel believed MOTH
ing Of what they whispered. People
had lied to her all her life. When
her father had told her she would soon
be well and that then he would take
her a into the country he had
lied.
When her father was killed her
mother had lied to her, saying that
daddy had only zone away for a little
while to prepare a home for them
both. Then her mother had died and
every n had lied about that. They
said that she had gone to join daddy
and that some day she would sen for
Gretzel.
Finally the landlady had lied when
she had been hurried off into the am
bulance. This woman had assured
Gretzel hat she might possibly find
her mother at the hospital. She hadn't
found her mother-the nurses had
~,-- IAo. "a 49, ---.-- c. 49,
with her thin lips tight together, she
listened. believing nothing, but kept
her eyes wide open, ready for what
might happen next.
Nearer and nearer to her came Fate
in the person of Schriftman-Schrift-
man the silent, who could skirt with
his knife the fringe Of the soul itself.
His progress through the ward was
accompanied with more awe than that
Of a sovereign through his court.
To the huddled group Of internes at
his back he stood for the highest goal
in their profession: to those patients
who knew him he stood as the literal
arbiter OF life and death. When those
clear eyes-as brilliantly hard as
glacial ice-were upon them. when
those quick. mobile fingers fiuttered
over their bruised bodies. they
breathed slowly and prayed. For they
knew il was given to him to do things
possible to no other a
But though many an eye warmed at
sight Of him. though many an arm
pleaded toward him. though many lips
trembled gratitude at his approach. he
rigidly preserved his impersonality. He
had neither smile nor Jest. His eyes
never warmed: they only lighted.
Gretzel saw him as he entered the
ward opposite her. She shrank be-
meath the clothes with only her eyes
showing n studied the man. She
liked his size first Of all. She had a
weakling's reverence for physical
strength. The broad shoulders. the
long. heavy arms appealed to her at
once. Then she liked his whiskers.
They reminded her N pictures Of
Santa Claus.
Finally she liked his deep bass voice.
1t seemed to her that a man with a
voice like hat must tell the truth.
She wasn't sure Of this, but the longer
she listened to 1t and the nearer It
came the less afraid she grew. She
ventured the tip of her nose above
the bedclothes, then her mouth and
finally her chin. BY the time the
group reached her side she was facing
them all, in the open.
For a moment Schriftman stood over
her and met her gaze. He had never
felt his soul so searched as il was dur
ing the next few seconds. And yet
the silent questions asked of him
were simple. Gretzel sought only to
Epnu, 10 ha uyara N man 10 toll tho
truth and IL she could trust him
with her tender, sensitive body.
She had fought the board. ng house
doctor tooth and nail from the begin
ming. Not only had he lied to her.
but he had hurt her brutally. Now
she wished to know IL she must be
on her guard with this other. So for
a moment her excited big eyes rested
on his. which were like candies burn
ing in a frosty room. Then quite
simply and unafraid she showed down
the bedclothes end turning over on
her face exposed her throbbing back
DR.. Burrell caught the nurses eye.
The latter gave a gulpy sort Of smile
and turned away. With a grunt
Schriftman bent over the thin frame.
His fingers. which at times seemed
enuOWeu WIFI i've SeHsts, pldyeu UP
and down her spine. to the right, to
the left, then hack again up and
down.
Though at times he stopped to probe
deep he did not hurt her much. 1t
seemed to her that some Of the
strength of his broad back ran out
OF his finger tips and for a moment
checked the biting ache which had
gnawed at her for a twelvemonth.
Once at a certain spot he made her
cringe, but she understood that this
was not done Intentionally.
Schriftman. his brow knitted, called
for Burrell's stethoscope. He placed
it over Gretzel's wobbly heart and lis
tened. One Of his big hands lay on
the coverlet.
Suddenly he felt his thumb in the
clutch OF a warm, tight grip. He
found 1t difficult to listen after this.
for the sturdy pound of his own heart
became curiously interm!ngled with
his other jerky beat, Extricating hia
thumb, he glared at Burrell. Trans
fer this patient to a private ward" he
ordered.
In the luxurious seclusion Of a room
IN herself. with everything to eat that