The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-07-25
CHAPTER IX-Continued

YES, ne is WITH U6S HOW. NO, YOU SdA
come in-well, only for moment"
There lay Ernestine in the stiff, long
sleeved, hospital shirt, her hair black
between her white face and the white
pillow, nurse beside her counting
her respiration, Will crouching there,
his face against the covers. Her eyes
were opened, flushed with fever She
was talking-pleading-i delirium.
Ernestine, the darling sister-in this
dreadful place!
"You will all have to CO." said the
nurse, swapping shut her old-fashioned
watch and darting resentful look at
the inferno. 1--WE cannot have any
body in this ward after hours. Mr..
Todd, you will have to 60"
'Ernestine,' cried Lillian, and Ernes-
tine said quickly:
wills coming. 1 tell you my name
is Briceland B-r-i-ce-l-a-n-d-l think
there's more. The bus ran over me
it leaped at me"
"She was crushed?" exclaimed Ill
alan, and the nurse said:
"No--she's just delrious. Please CO."
Cant we have her moved to pri-
waite room? Can't we move herr" 1t
was Loring now.
Will had lifted his face, and he
stared at Ernestine and gently
smoothed her cheek, while her bright
eyes turned on him.
'Papa-you must find Will-hell
worry" she urged him.
II can't say about moving her.
You'll have to see the floor doctor.
She is very ill to be moved-please
ceave the ward now"
The nurse was definite. Training
and authority were behind her, and
they withdrew. Even Will had to
leave her, but Ernestine made such an
outcry that the nurse permitted him
to come back until Loring should make
arrangements to move Ernestine.
Lillian found herself in a tiny. re-
ception room furnished barely. Loripg
had gone to the Office, Mrs. Bennett to
the phone booth downstairs. For a
moment Lillian thought she was 60
ing to be sick. She chung desperately
TO the arms of the chair. She was
the only woman in the room. A black
man stood near her, twisting cloth
cap in his hands, his lips moving
soundlessly. There was another man,
shabby, unclean, suffering in patient
silence, and they were joined by
third and then fourth vague quiet
figure.
Lillian's feelings were not Of pity
but revulsion. She could not bear it
Ernestine here with the scum of the
earth-mamma's baby-their beauty
i'm this place that smelled of lysol, that
was as full of the sounds of sickness
and suffering as purgatory is full of
groans. This place was hell, it was
nightmare. There came from the
streets the clang of an ambulance
and stretcher moved in the hall.
Loring was beside her, reckoning.
1--WE are taking her to the Presby-
terian hospital. They'll have a room
and a nurse for her when we get
there. Also a good doctor"
Lillian followed him in confusion.
The ambulance she had heard was for
IGrnestine. The taxi threaded after it
through the streets, and again there
was delay. Mrs. Bennett left them to
go back home. Will was with Ernes-
tine and the stretcher. But now, at
last, small freshly painted room, as
clean as a scalded dish, a high mar
row bed, by an open window, an elec-
trio fan on white dressing table, a
chair or two, and graduate nurse,
capable, cool. There was a doctor,
too.
Lillian stood just inside the door.
The doctor was silent for a long time,
examining Ernestine, reading the copy
of the chart that had been sent with
her.
"Uremea-and some albumen," he
said as though any Of them knew
what he meant. 1.-THE baby will be
premature-if we can get her through
her confinement now swiftly, she'll be
all right. When did you say she was
expectant"
Will named the date. The doctor
nodded with satisfaction as though his
worst fears were confirmed.
swell, it's nasty case" he said.
-'but perhaps we shall pull her through.
Miss Nana"-he turned to the nurse
with rapid fire of instructions and
requests and laid his coat aside.
-'Now-there's nothing any of you can
do but give us. elbow room and quiet.
She's already had two commissions.
When the next comes we shall be
ready for her" The horrid word
shot through Lillian's mind like a
sword thrust. No-no-only idiot chill
dren-only diseased and terrible peo-
ple-only the poor and helpless were
so afflicted. Not Ernestine-oh, God
not Ernestinei
The doctor put them out with de-
uberate firmness, allowing win to stay.