The Yale expositor., 1917-07-12

head In sleepy
indecislon, but ready for any turn.
''The hot-water bottle" quiveringly,
drawing the covers about her as she
sat hunched up In bed.
With Tapping, heelless slippers,
Warren shuffied into the bathroom, re-
appearing with the unwiped, air-puffed
bag, which Helen, too sick to be criti-
cal, huddled against her.
"Oh-oh," at another gripping pain.
"Oh, do, you think it's appendicitis"
"WeIl have the doctor and find out"
turning with anxious determination to
the phone.
Even In her convulsive pains Helen
speculated worriedly over the double
fee of a midnight call.
Doctor Kelly?-This is Mr.. Curtis"
Helen stopped her moaning to listen.
Mrs. Curtis is suffering with violent
cramps.-No, we dined at home
Mono fish nor clams.-As soon as
you can.-An ice bagT-
"Oh, is he coming?" in the throes of
another cramp.
"Soon as he can get here. Wherein
find the ice bag?"
1--WE haven't any," her teeth a-chat-
ter.
Grumbling about the things you ought
to have in case of sickness, Warren
stumbled out to the kitchen.
The sound of hacking fee pick,
and he returned with some cracked ice
clumsily wrapped in a red-selvaged
towel.
"Oh, that's a tea towel" walled
Helen.
"Now, never mind about that. There,
how does that feel"
"Oh, Warren. those shades" SILVER
ing under the icy application. "They
can see right inw
'Nobody's up, anyway" glancing at
the darkened windows opposite as he
jerked down the shades.
"It's getting the bed wet" lifting off
the ice compress. Get a bath towel
that's thicker. Oh-oh," writhing I'M
der another attack They're growing
worsel Oh, why doesn't he Gomez"
at won't be long now-he's on the
way" putting a comforting arm about
her.
ooh, I can't stand this-I can'tl It's
appendicitis, know it is"
Sitting on the bed, Warren made her
lean against him while he smoothed
her moist hair. But the pain was too
great. Even his encircling arms
could not soothe her, and she drew
away with a feverish:
"Can't you do something? Why
doesn't he come-why doesn't he
Gomez"
Hell be here now in a few mo-
ments," Warren kept assuring her.
But there was an anguished half
hour before the clamorous bell an
nounced the doctors arrival.
With professional solicitude he bent
over the bed. A hurried examination,
a thrust Of a hypodermic, and almost
at once the sharp pains succumbed to
the soothing influence Of the morphine.
ooh, will I need a nurser Helen
caught their murmured comments.
Doctor thinks we'd better have one
for few days." soothed Warren.
'Its not appendicitisT excitedly. II
won't have an operationT
THAT'S what we want to avoid" pa
CITED the doctor. "Now don't talk.
want you to try to Sleep"
A nurse-a trained nursel Helen's
drugged thoughts were cropping with
the difficulties and expense. Would
there be enough clean linen? All nurses
were wastefully extravagant with tow
els and bedclothes.
They would have to send for Mrs.
O'Grady-Dora could not do all the
washing. Where would the nurse
aeep7 Oh, they were not fixed for a
nurse or for sickness.
Aroused from her broodings, she
stared up at Warren with an anxious,
"Has the doctor gomez"
'No, he's 'phoned for a nurseries
waiting till she comes"
Yielding to the languor OF the drug,
Helen lapsed into drowsy stupor on
" to be startled by another ring, /
alarmingly loud In the early stiffness.
Warren stayed beside her; It was
the doctor who answered the door.
Again that low-voiced murmuring In
the hall.
miss Saunders'll be with you in a
moment" the doctor returned to the
bedside.
Had the nurse gone into her dress
ing room7 Was IL much disorderedf
Helen tried TO remember what she had
left lying about.
A rustic of skirts and the white
CARRIED nurse appeared. One apprais-
ing glance and with swift intuition
Helen knew she would not like her.
shewas about thirty, tall, dark, with