Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-02

uniform size, each exactly likO Its
neishDor. 1t came into the girls
mind. even during those few hasty
steps. that this was essentially a
mans house: "A woman's would have
arranged things differently have
given the place personality. have
made her presenc. felt somehow.
even In the decoration Of this dark
passage. The atmosphere was that
OF an institution, not OF a home.
Then she was standing with caught
breath at the door OF the consulting
room. which was little atar. as IL
the catch had become unfastened.
She knocked, opened 1t, and went in.
She found herself In large, lighter
room. with the same sense of an in
| stitution, tho IT was well furnshe1.
She saw the white enameled table.
I the glass case full OF Instruments, the
empty court outside; then John Ian
caster himself alone. standing witt,
bent head behind chair. on which he
| was leaning
As Joan entered an inner door be-
gan 10 open. Joan knew that the
man with whom Lancaster had been
| ouarreling was inside "A room behind
II. She dreaded lest he would come
in. but suddenly the door closed. She
| looked at Lancaster again. II was
| N'ill uhllt IEIl WllHlll tIlf COl'Sllllile
room. but Lancaster. standing with
| his back to the window, was In sill
houette. so that Joan could not see
his face clearly.
Well madam" he asked, raising
his head.
Il came to speak to you about this
morning" began Joan hurriedly 1T
| means"
He indicated chair. lie was
gazing at her with some embarrass
ment-Joan thot because OF the scene
in which he mad Just participated.
| Tell me the trouble" he began, as
she seated herself, drawing up his
own chair toward hers.
Now Joan could see his face and,
to her astonishment. 1t did not bear
the expression OF the smirking bully
whom she had seen that morning
nor yet of the man who had addressed
another man ir snch terms as one
n light use to n slave. 1t was not an
| unkindly face. And II was unmis-
| takably that of a sick man.
| For n moment she remembered the
stories told OF his behavior in the op-
Grating thcater, OF the gentlcness that
seemed to transform the man. as II
| he possessed dual personality. Then
she was recalled to herself by Ian
| casters repetition of his remark.
Joan rose up hastily. She realized
that the doctor had mistaken her for
| a patient Her face meant nothing
to him, any more than her distress of
the day had affected him. With Il
nervous movement she unfastcned
her cloak, disclosing her uniform.
II am Miss Wentworth" she eX
planned. 81 came to tell you'll came
to say" Then, treadng out her
| pride once more. II came to ask If
| you went reconsider your decision to
suspend me. My work means ever
thing to me. II is my lifework. my
vocation. | always wanted to be a
nurse. | felt that II was my task TO
help to alleviate suffering. Won't
you give me another opportunity?
She spoke with her hands uncon-
scioualy clasped before her; the rec
objection OF her earlier hopes. the
thot of their Illustration brought a
| quiver into her voice. When she
stopped she saw that Lancaster was
| LOOKING at her with obvious interest.
! "Tell me about this morning. he
II had to como away with
out breakfast. and the fumes OF the
ether made me faint. | was nearly
| fa!nting when you asked me for the
scalpel, and | couldn't see the tray.
| Indeed II was not the operation that
made me Ill. l have never been
reprimanded before. The lady super
intendent had told me several times
that the hospital appreciated my
work. SO l hOred you would be Will
ing 10 overlook my blunder and let
me graduate"
Lancaster looked Mt her with a
/ singular expression that seemed TO
mask his thots She could not tell how
| her plea had impressed him. When
he spoke she was dumfoundcd by the
| harshress and casualness of his tone.
why have you come to my house
about this?" he asked. This is not
my hour for seeing patients-l mean
| people"
Il am sorry II | did wrone," cried
the girl. But ii you knew how much
| IL means to me
Il can do nothing for you now.'
/ said Lancaster.
| The voice was harsh again, but
curiously flat, as IL he was trying TO
restrain his emotions, hold himself
| in; as II he was afraid but afraid
/ Of what? Not OF his anger
Joan was standing in front of him,
and even then the appearance of the
nan had something pathological
about It to her mind. There was not
the least jauntiness or self-conscious-
ness about him. lie looked older
than in the morning. depressed, and
certainly i'll. His manner Indicated
that OF one Just aroused from sleep
His eyes were very bright, and his
face unnaturally pale. lie was press
ing his thumb and finger against the
rim of the chair as IL for support.
Joan remembered the stories of his
drinking habits. But she saw at once
that Lancaster had not been drink
ing. She had attended too many al
coholic patients at the hospital to not
| be sure OF that
Doctor Lancaster. my dismissal
means the loss of all my prospects
came to ask you II you won't inquire
about my record and then give me
another chance" said Joan. And
am sorry II | came at an inconVenien'
time but now that | am here | must
request the courtesy OF final an
swer. shall not come TO you again
II cannot answer you,' said Ian
caster. rs II speaking in his sleep
"In the interests of discipline-it Is
Impossible to answer you now
Joan turned away. The flat re.
fusal stunned her. And there wa;
something preposterous about Ian
casters manner, perfectly incom'
prehensihle to her. What was the
pnatter with him7 why did the room
turn round and roundP Suddenl,
4.