The Irish standard., 1917-01-20

enough.
1T would be the Edwardes opera
don, wouldn't it?" demanded Carlotta.
The staff was bewildered. There
were no rules to cover such conduct
ON the part of nurse. One of them
replied rather heavily: 'lf any, it
would be the Edwardes operation"
would Doctor Ellwardes himself
be able to do anytlling?'
| This was going little far.
"Possibly. One chance in a thou
sand, perhaps. But Edwardes is dead.
How did this thing happen, Miss Har-
rison?"
She ignored his question. Her face
was CHASTITY, save for the trace of
rouge; her eyes were red-rimmed.
doctor Edwardes is sitting on a
bench in the hall outsider" she am
nounced.
Her voice rang out. X. heard her
and raised his head. His attitude was
weary, resigned. The thing had come,
then! He was to take up the old bur-
den. The girl had told.
/
Doctor Ed had sent for Sidney. She
thought it was another operation, and
her spirit was just a little weary. But
her courage was indomitable. She
forced her shoes on her tired feet, and
bathcd her face in cold water to rouse
herself
| The night Waterman was in the hall.
He was fond of Sidney; she always
smiled at him; and. on his morning
rounds at six O'Clock to wakcn the
nurses, her voice was always amiublc.
So she found him in the hail. holding
Il cup OF tepid coffee. He was old and
blcary, Enthusiastically dirty, tou-but
he had OWNED Sidnrys romance.
"Coffee! For me?" She was aston.
ished.
Get it down."
So she finished 1t, not without anxi-
ETY. that she might be needed. But
daddy's attentions were for few, and
not to be lightly received.
Can you stand piece of bad
news?"
Strangely, her first thought was of
K.
'"There has been an accident. Doc.
tor Wilson,"
(which one?"
doctor Max-has been hurt. II
ain't much but l guess you'd like to
know it,"
where is he?"
downstairs, in seventeen"
So she went down alone to the
room where Doctor Ed sat in chair,
with his untidy bag beside him on the
floor, and his eyes fixrd on straight
figure on the bed. When he saw Sid
ney, he got up and put his arms around
her. His eyes told her the truth be-
fore he told her anything. She hardly
listened to what he said. The fact
was all that concerned her--f0r sud-
denly Sidney's small world, which had
always sedately revolvcd in one dircc-
ton, began to move the other way.
The door opened, and the staff came
In. But where before they had moved
heavily, with dropped heads, now they
came quickly, us 1f,n with purpose.
There was tall man in white coat
with them. He ordered them about
like children, and they FASTENED to do
his will. The hraviness of inactivity
lifted. The room buzzed. The nurses
stood by, while the staff did nurses
work.
1t was the Lamb, after all, who
brought the news to Sidney. The new
activity had caught Doctor Ed, and
she was alone now, her face buried
against the back of chair.
"There'll be something doing now,
Miss Page" he offered.
"What are they going to do?"
"Going after the bullet. Do YOU
know who's going to do it?"
His voice echoed the subducd ex-
element of the roOm-excitencnt and
lew hope.
did you ever hear Of Edwartlcs, the
surgeon?-tlle Edwartles operation
you know. Well. he's here. 1t sounds
ike n miracle. They found him sitting
IN bench in the hall downstairs"
Sidney raised her head but she
rWld not see the miraculously found
Glwart!es. She could sec the familiar
aces of the staff, and that other face
on the pillow. nnl-she gave a little
cry. There WAS X! How like him
70 be there, to he wherever ANYONE
"as in trouble! Tears cat e to her
| eycS-the first tears she had shed.
AS If her eyes had called him, ne
looked up and saw her. He came
toward her ut once. The staff stood
hack to let him PASS, and gazed after
him. The wonder of what had ham,
pened was growing on them.
X. stood beside Sidney, and looked
down at her. Just at first 1t seemed
as If he found nothing to say. Then:
| "There's just 81 chance, Sidney, dear.
Don't count too much on it. If you
will wait somewhere near, I'll see that
you have Immediate word"
IL am going to the operating room"
"NOt to the operating room. Sorne-
| where near"