Evening star., 1923-05-27

had then exchanged a glance with
the senior surgical inferno that had
perplexed her.
In the chapel at prayers that even
rested, their tired hands folded in
their laps. Some one near was talk
ing about something that was miss
ing.
Gone" she said. "Of course it is
gone. The bathroom man reported 1t
to me and 1 went and looked"
But who in the world would take
it?"
my dear said the first speaker,
"who does take things in hospital,
anyhow? Only-a tin sign!"
Jane Brown offered up a little pray
er that night for Johnny Fraser, and
another little one, without words, that
DR.. Willie was right, She sat and
rested her weary young body, and re-
membered how Dr. Willie was loved
and respected, and the years he had
cared for the whole countryside. And
the peace of the quiet room brought
rest to her.
1t was when prayers were over that
the head made her announcement.
She arose and looked over the
shadowy room, where among the
rows of white caps only the Proba-
toners head was uncovered, and she
said:
'I have an announcement to make
to the training school-one which I
regret, and which will mean a cer-
tain amount of hardship and depriva-
tion.
"a case of contagion has been dis
covered in ona of the wards. and it
has been considered necessary to
quarantine the hospital. The doors
were closed at 1880 this evening"
There were policemen at all the
hospital doors, quite suddenly. They
locked the doors and put the keys
in their pockets, and from that time
on they opened them only to pass
things in, such as newspapers or
milk or groceries or the braver mem
bers of the staff. But not to let any
thing out-except the staff.
"A
confusion, because quite a number of
people had been out on various err
rands when it happened. And they
came back, and protested to the Of
ficers. One or two of them got quite
desperate and tried to crawl up the
flre-escape, but failed.
This is of interest chiefly because it
McAdoo, her ward nurse. had debated
whether to wash her hair that even
ing or to take a walk. She had de-
cided on the walk.
The next morning the first assistant
gave Jane Brown charge of H ward.
ITS very irregular" she said. "I
don't exactly know-it's great
chance for you. Show that you can
handle this ward. and you are prac-
tically SAFE -'s -. -s-
Twenty-Five made three brief ex-
cursions back along the corridor that
first day of the quarantine. But Jane
Brown was extremely professional
and very. busy.
On the third trip, however, Jane
Brown was writing at the table.
Twenty-Five wheeled himself into the
doorway and eyed her with ~disap-'
proyal.
What do you mean by sitting
DOWN" he demanded sarcastically.
Don't you know that now you are in
charge you ought to keep moving?"
She smiled at him. They were quite
old friends already. 1t is curious about
love and friendship and all those kin
dred emotions. They do not grow
nearly SO fast when people are to-
gether as when they are apart. Twen-
ty-two and Jane Brown were infinite
ly closer friends than four or five
meetings really indicated.
The days went by-three, then four
and q little line of tension deepened
around Jane Browns mouth. For
Johnny Fraser was still lying in a
stupor. +-.h-~
The senior surgical inferno had de-
veloped tendency to wander into H
at odd hours and sit on the edge Of a
table. 1t was during one OF these
visits that she spoke of DR.. Willie.
Because he is country practi-
TONER" she said, "you-you patronize
| him.