The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-14

brought them, for instead of being a gay note they had added a
 funeral touch to the day.
 That night Beryl remained at the
 hospital and the next day they
 took her with Irene to what the
 latter called "that awful room"
 Later they brought her back
 not to the room they'd given her
 first, but to one she was to share
 with Irene. Neither knew 1t for
 several hours after they were put to bed there, and Beryl did not mind when she did. but Irene
 complained.
 we could not help it, Mrs Prem tiss," the nurse patiently ex- plained. "We are overcrowded |.
 Five patients came in this morn ing" She looked at Bcryl and Irene had the grace to cease find ing fault. Her sister was en-
 during pain-for her. She was herself in pain but 1t was not voluntary. Already she knew that the hospital attaches liked and admired Beryl. It would seem
 strange to them, since neither she nor Beryl were gravely i'll, if she did not want her sister with her. Besides the room they had was | spacious and convenient. It even had a sunroom of it's own and a | radio.
 Irene, looking about at the beuatiful furnishings. was think 1 ing that Gaylord was mean not to have engaged it for her in the first
 place. | ks Her resentment against Gaylord grew when flowers arrived and the largest and loveliest bouquet was | for Beryl. There was an exquisite | basket of fruit for Beryl, too, as
 well as several books, while for her | there was only a stack of maga- zines which she felt sure Gaylord | had grabbed at random. Among them were q number of duplicates | which Irene threw angrily across | the room.
 Then she relapsed into sullen silence, harboring a bitter jealousy | of her sister. When Gaylord came | to see them Irene would scarcely speak to him.
 He paid little attention to her | for BeryTs condition worried him. She was too still and white. His fruit was untouched, his books un- opened.
 Two days later he wired to MT ! Everett Strange, he thought, look
 ing at the portion of Irenes' face that was not bandaged and finding
 1t merely petulant in expression as
 usual. that she did not know. But at last there appeared a light of triumph in Irene's eyes IL was there an hour or two after
 Gaylord had sent his wire. Irene was exultant. She had sent a. wire of her own. And she had reused BeryI to tell her about 1t. She would see if she had to be neglect ed by her own husband while her
 sister got every attention! Beryl looked over at her with weary eyes as Irene exclaimed:
 Listen to me. ] cant stand this any longer-the way Gay is acting I've sent for Tommy. I've got to
 have someone with me who cares
 something about mel"
 Beryrs eyelids fluttered down like the white petals of rose A sigh too faint for Irene to hear
 escaped her pale lips. Then she
 was still again. ., "Oh, well, of course. if You aren't interested!" Irene exclaimed pet tishly and took up a magazine to show her disdain of BeryPs indif- | ference.
 She did not know that Beryl lis
 tened with a bleeding herat to the things Irene said to the nurses
 about Tommy.
 Irene seemed to forget she was
 talking to them like a young girl
 preparing for the coming of her lover. Or If she did not forget she l no longer cared. Certainly. she , told herself, everyone at the hospi- tai must have seen that Gaylord was no husband to her. So she
 talked about Tommy Tommy Tommy.
 She stopped only when the | nurses asked her to be quiet nod ding their heads In Beryls' direc- | ton. Soon Irene would break out again. It was decided to move Beryl to other quarters as soon as there was a vacant room. She was still with Irene when Tommy arrived. MT Everett had
 asked him to come, but he
 needn't have stopped after reading | Gaylord's telegram.
 1 Irene's wire reached It's destina- | ton after Tommy was on his way
 to take n train for Oakdale. When
 word was sent up that he had ar
 rived at the hospital she naturally
 assumed 1t was her wire that mad
 brought him. She did not know lthat Gaylord had been so alarmed about BeryIs health that he had
 telegraphed to the family. :, | Gaylord did not want to tell