The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-02-23

ey LOUISE OLIVER.

Kathleen had never been able to con-
quer her fear OF the head surgeon.
But In the two years she had known
Doctor Breen he haG never spoken
to her unkindly. Even when occasion
might have warranted, for there were
occasions, and mistakes due to her
f1uttering heart and confused brain, he
had been patience itself, fact so no
ticeable that the rest of the training
school hrst wondered. then comment
ed. and finally gossiped.
One day the head surgeon met her
In the hall.
Doctor Breen regarded her a mo-
ment In silence, the way her color was
coming and going, the way her fingers
opened and closed.
why are you afraid OF me, Miss
StarIing?" he asked finally. I'm not
such a bear. am II"
"N-nol I" stammered Kathleen, turn
ing away her eyes.
"And I'm not very old. How old do
you think l ann"
"I-don't-know."
"Only thirty. Tha - nt old enough
to develop any full-siy ID crouch. now
| is it?"
mo"
She was uneasy and wanted to get
away. The head nurse was likely to
discover that she was talking to one
of the doctors In the hall and she
would be reprimanded.
Doctor Breen understood "Never
mind about Miss Lownes. I'll fix this
up with her. want to ask you some
thing more. If ever I'm sick or hurt,
will you nurse me?"
Eyes. Doctor Breen." Kathleens
gray eyes were losing some of their
fear.
Then things began to happen very
fast The ambulance bell sounded in
the courtyard below and the nurses
and orderlies seemed to be everywhere
at once.
Doctor Breen had hurried away and
Kathleen went back to her patients
In K ward wondering what 1t was all
about.
'What Is til" she asked an inferno
as the elevator passed her floor slow
ly with new burden Of men on
stretchers.
Explosion In the Blue Diamond
mills" came the answer.
In an hour Miss Lownes came in.
"You are to 60 to room twenty-five on
the mems floor" she said icily. "Some
Of the doctors went to the scene of the
accident and wall fell. Doctor Breen
was hurt"
Doctor Breen hurt Kathleen CROPPED
her way blindly to the stairs. She had
promised and she would go.
He was unconscious and did not
know her, however Kathleen helped
with bandages and spints. the doctors
and two nurses working silently and
quickly. But there was other work
to do-terrible work; and they were
needed elsewhere. So Kathleen was
left alone with her patient for
while.
He slept all the first day. The night
brought a fever and the next day de-
lirium. He began to talk.
"Prettyl Just the prettiest thing
you ever saw, but she scares like a
little gray mouse. She's sweet
sweet" he went on. Gray eyes, long
lashes and skin like alike a tearose."
He was quiet for q. while then sudden
ly, kathleen, little Kathleen. don't be
afraid. I'm only thirtyl
The little nurse started and famed
red. Could he be talking about her?
He was getting very restless and ex-
cited. II want her Get me Kathleen.
Kathleen!' he called.
Finally she said quietly. laying a
cool hand on his, Here's Kathleen be-
side you"
kiss me, dear. Kiss me. Kath-
leen." He caught her two hands and
pulled her down. After all. 1t was
only to humor sick man, and she
was too tired to care much what hap
pened. SO her lips touched his cheek
lightly.
Miss Starling!"
It was Miss Lownes' voice. Kath-
| leen looked up quickly but fearlessly.
4 There was another woman with the
head nurse richly dressed woman Of
I middle age, whose resemblance to the
u | man On lIc Dcu lucntiiItu ucI uS HIS
r mother.
e kathleen !" called the sick man.
a "You may go, Miss Startling. There
Is little to say. You are dismissed.
That's all, I believe"
And then something in the timid lit
r tie mouse Of a nurse broke loose.
"You are condemning me unheard,
Miss Lownes, and 1t isn't fair. You
are taking advantage of sick mans
within to get me out OF the way be-
cause you've never liked me. But be-
fore l 60" the little head with its
crown OF chestnut hair went up very
high and the gray eyes flashed. 81
want to tell you something. I'm a
Starting and my mother was BrIx
# ton. Neither a Brixton nor Star
ling ever did anything dfshonorable
Il My grandfather is John Rigby Brix
a ton. who built this hospital and en-
dowed 1t | wonder what he'll think
4 f,t ~