The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-08-11

like this where people came with
theid ills and their agonies. What
deadgame sport a nurse was,
when you stopped to think about it,
When said DIR. Fitzroy,' l
meant old DR.. Fitzroy," Miss Sims
explained. He's upstairs with
young DR.. Tom. We always call the
young one DIR. Tom here at the
hospital"
The smile faded from her face,
leaving it very grave. mo, DR..
Toms not unconscious" she went
on. He was for a few minutes a
While ago. That's how we knew
he wanted you. He kept calling for
YOU"
She led Mary Rose down a long
corridor and then turned another
one. At the end of it was a closed
white door with the number "31"
painted on it.
isn't that a coincidence-that
he's in room 81, ard that he's just 81
years old?" Miss Sims asked Mary
Rose, as she laid her hand against
its panels. $50 young. too"
She didn't finish the sentence. but
Mary Rose knew instantly that Miss
Sims knew that Tom was going to
die there in that room behind the
white door.
She opened it and went in.
He was lying on the high, mar.
row bed in the middle OF the bare
hospital room-muff1ed in bandages
like mummy. Nothing of him was
visible except his eyes. his nose and
his lipA
Mary Rose had heard the phrase
''bloodless lips" before, but it never
had meant anything to her until
now. For Toms lips really were blood
less. They were only a shade more
gray than his gray face that had
been 50 FRESH and rudy under its
freckles an hour ago.
She tiptoed to the side of the bed
and looked down at him, dry-eyed.
He did not move. He seemed not
even to breathe.
The door behind her opened and
Toms father came into the room.
He had on a long white linen coat.
such as doctors wear when they OBJ
crate, and above 1t his keen, fine face
looked older than Mary Rose had
ever seen 1t before.
He came straight to her and to.
gether they stood there, looking
down at the man on the bed.
How did this happen?" Mary
Rose whispered, and he tried to
answer, but couldn't He turned
abruptly away and stood with his
back to the room. looking down into
the rain-swept street below. -
Automobile" Miss Sims formed
the word with her lips, making no
sound
The still figure at the window
turned from it, and spoke to them
in a low tone. Here comes his
mother-I'll go down for her."
He went out. with Miss Sims after
him. In a minute she came back
and beckoned Mary Rose into the
hall.
Il want to show you something. .
she said. and drew a little piece of
tissue paper from the pocket of her
cracking white uniform. II found
it in the pocket of his vest. when
they brought him in. He'd like you
to have it, I guess. DR.. Fftzroy
says you and he were to be married
SOON"
She laid it in Mary Roses cold
hand-the little circle of diamonds
that Tom had bought for her wed.
ding ring-and hurried away down
the hall, as If she had suddenly re.
1 membered something that she had
to do at once.
The slow elevator came I'D to the
third floor and stopped. Mary Rose
heard the clang of its closing doors
and presently Toms mother and ia
Their came around the corner of the
corridor. Mrs. Fitzroy was wrapped
IN dark fur coat and the CLEAN Of
silver cloth evening dress showed
beneath it. She leaned heavily or
Toms father, as she walked.
oh. l can't realize it can't
realize it," she was saying to him
dazedly. us Tom very badly hurt
or just shaken up? Oh, If you only
knew what I've been through since
they telephoned the news to me al
Mabels house. 1t broke up the
bridge party
Suddenly her blue eyes that were
so like Toms eyes, fell on MARY
Rose, and for the first time she
seemed to realize just how serious
Toms condition was.
They sent for you, Mary Rose?'
she asked "Or were you with hin
when the machine was it?"
1--WE sent for her He wanted
her." Toms father told her gently
He opened the door of Room 81 and
looked in.
He's waking up. Where's Miss
Sinner" he asked, and as If by magic
Miss Sims appeared around the cor.
ner of the hall.
She and Mrs. F'itzroy went into the
room and two minutes later thew
Ncame ont again