The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-07-28

brought 1t 70 the led.
Miss Saunders.r with quiet in
tensaty, shat Thermometer hasn't been
washed since had IL before
Il beg your rar6On,~ IOftilT, Abut /
always wash thermometer when /
take ii from the patients mouth. Tn
der your tongue, please"
You didn't wash this one, ;" Enaineh-
ingiy. Il watched you."
NOW I'd like to take your tempera-
ture." Her voice implied that Helen's
remarks were the rawlings Of sick and
irresponsible mind.
Not until you rinse off that ther-
mometer."
Then Tn 10 tell the doctor you re-
fuse to let me take your tempera-
tureT
"You can tell him anything you
choose"
Sick, unstrung, her heart beating
In her throat and arms. Helen lay In
feverish, consuming hatred, as the
nurse swept out.
Her head ached. the pillow was
too low. The glass of water was just
beyond her thirsty reacf-but she
would wait until Dora came.
When the girl, with eager but clumsy
solicitude, was ministering 10 her
wants, Warren, without his usual her
/ aiding Of heavy footsteps, tiptoed
noiselessly into the room.
| why, where's the nursef" frown-
I ing at Dora's awkward attentions.
"Oh-oh. I'm so glad you've come !.
I don't want her-I don't want her
ever to touch me again" And Helen
burst into a hysterical account Of the
mornings happenings.
snow you're getting yourself oil
worked up over nothing. If she wasn't
a good nurse-doctor wouldn't have
her here. You've got one of your fool
( ish preiudices, and you can't"
I warren. It isn't prejudice! I tell
you she doesn't follow the doctors or
ders. She hates her work-she isn't
fitted for the nurse. If you won't tell
+ him about that thermometer viii
/ No conscientious nurse would
@Oh. all right" yielding with frown-
Ing reluctance. @I'll speak to him."
ADear. don't think I am unreason-
able. II you'd only believe mel You're
not here all day-you don't know what
she does"
"Now. we won't talk about It any
more. You quiet down--or you'll send
up your fever. I'll stay here till the
doctor comes"
Weak with exhausting emotions,
Helen lag back with closed eyes. The
sense of injustice ranked sorely. 1t
was useless to combat Warren's belief
in the nurse, for when either he or the
doctor was present she was always so
licitously attentive.
It was after one when the doctor
came. Helen. listening tensely. heard
Warren take him into the library,
where she could catch only the num-
bic of their lowered voices.
After an interminable wait the door
swung open and the doctor came In
followed by Miss Saunders, her face
flushed and set.
well, how is our patient todayf"
with professional eheerfulness.
Not trusting herself TO speak, Helen
shaded her eyes with her arm, but her
lips quiyered betrayingly.
| Drawing chair to the bed, he took
her hand with a soothing:
"We're making q change In your
nurse. Miss Saunders has slight
cold, and we can't risk your catching
it. She'll stay with you until five, then
Miss Reeves will relieve her"
Her eyes still shaded, Helen only
nodded, but the lace of her gown rose
with a smothered sob Of relief
The doctor gone, she lay in relaxing
Iquiet. How cleverly he had done it /!
What had Warren said7 What had
they told Miss Saunders?
"Well, she's fred" Warren was
alone with her now. Feel betterT'
"Oh, yes-yes." Then quiveringly /:
"But you don't believe me! You think
she's all right-and that I'm unreason-
able"
mo, Kitten, guess you had her num-
ber." There was grim note In his
voice "I'ye just found out thing or
two myself"
Forgetful of the doctors orders,
Helen. in breathless inquiry. half rose
on her elbow.
"You don't have to prove your cas-
against that female" He had risen to
close the door. did little sleuthing
on my own account. Got the goods on
her all right. Caught her taking the
chart"
'The chart? You mean"
Il mean she didn't write down q
blooming thing yesterday. Just be
fore the doctor came she took blank
chart, dated 1t Thursday and filed IL
out-temperature, medicine, nourish-
ment-the whole rigmarole. | kept
busy with a newspaper till she was
through--then I started something r
"Oh, she knows"
"She ought to-" with a grin. my Ian
guage was emphatic, but plain. The
Doctors pretty hot, too. He let her
down easy before you, but it's the last
case she'll ever get from him. You're