Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-12-04

70 forward or go back, but cannot re-
main rs they are. The condition had
existed for the last three months. 1t
exasperated the man.
As matter of fact, Wilson could not
90 ahead. The situation with Carl0tta
had become tense, irritating. He felt
that she stood ready to block any move
he made. He would not go back, and
he dared not go forward.
If Sidney was puzzled, she kept 1t
brayely to herself. In her little room
Mt night, with the door carefully
locked, she tried to think things out.
There were few treasures that she
looked over regularly: dried flower
from the Christmas roses; label that
he had pasted playfully on the back
Of her hand one day after the rush Of
surgical dressings was over and which
saldi "R, Take once and forever"
There was another piece Of paper
over which Sidney spent much time.
It was a page torn out Of an order
book, and II read: "Sigsbee may
have light diet: Rosenfeld massage"
Underneath was written, very small:
You are the most beautiful person In
the world.
Two reasons had prompted Wilson
to request to have Sidney In the oper-
ating room. He wanted her with him,
and he wanted her to see him ut work:
the age-old instinct Of the male to have
his woman see him at his best.
The deepening and broadening OF
Sidney's character had been very no.
ticeable in the last few months. She
had gained In decision without becom-
ing hard had learned to see things as
they are, not through the rose mist OF
early girlhood; and, far from being
daunted, had developed philosophy
that had for Its basis God in his heaven
and all well with the world.
But her new theory Of acceptance
did not comprehend everything. She
was In state of wild revolt, for In
stance, as to Johnny Rosenfeld, and
more remotely but not less deeply con-
cerned over Grace Irving. Soon she
was to learn of Titles predicament,
and to take up the cudgels valiantly
for her.
But her revolt was to be for herself
too. On the day after her appointment
to the operating room, she had her
half-hollday, and when, after n restless
night, she went to her new station, 1t
was to learn that Wilson had been
called out of the city in consultation
and would not operate that day.
O'Hara would take advantage OF the
| free afternoon to run In some odds and
ends of cases.
The operating room made gauze that
morning, and small packets Of tam
pons. absorbent cotton covered with
sterllized gauzc, and fastened togeth-
er-twelve, by careful count, In each
bundle.
Miss Grange, who had been kind to
Sidney in her probation months, taught
her the method.
Used instead of sponges," she ex-
planned. "lf you noticed yesterday,
they were counted before and after
each operation. One Of these missing
Is worse than bank clerk out dol
lar at the end OF the day. There's no
closing up until it's foundl"
Sidney eyed the small packet before
her anxiously.
"what a hldeous responsibility
she said.
From that time on she handled the
small gnuze sponges almost reyerently.
The operating room-all glass, white
enamel, and shining nickel platc-iirst
frightened, then thrilled her. 1t was
as II, having loved a great actor, she
now trod the enchanted boards on
which he achieved his triumphs. She
was glad that IL was her afternoon or,
and that she would not see some lesser
star-O'Hara, to wit-usurplng his
place. But Max had not sent her any
word. That hurt.
The operating room was a hive OF
industry, and tongues kept pace with
fingers. What news Of the world came
In through the great doors was trans
lated ut once into hospital terms
What the city forgot the hospital re
membered. II took up life where III,
. town left II ut Its gates, and carried
II on or saw II ended, as the case NIGH
be. So these young women knew thu
ending OF many stories, the beglnrln.
Of some; but Of none did they know
both the first and last, the beginning
and the end.
by many small klndnesses Sldne.
0 had made herself popular. And Their,
D was more TO II than that. She ncvc
, shlrked. The other girls had the rc
spect for her Of one honest worke
y for another. The episode that ha,
v caused her suspension seemed entircl
D forgotten. They showed her CAREFUL
/. what she was to do; and, because sh
j must know the 'why' of everything
they explained as best they could.
Z II was while she was standing by th
great sterIllzer that she heard, throug
an open door, part Of n conyersatio
r that sent her through the day Wit
= her world In revolt.
The takers were putting the nj
8 csthctlzing room In readiness for III
u afternoon. Sidney. waiting for n
% time TO open the sterillLer, was busy Il
tho first time In her hurried mornlnI