Evening star., 1934-09-09
CHAPTER XVIII.
~ ABIES again. I'm getting
W. fed up on woman patients
After that long stretch, l
IL thought they would send

leo up on woman patients.
After that long stretch,
IL thought they would send
me to some place a little
different" Mazda Scowled at the bull
letin board.
Bert said callously, What do you
care? A big millionaire like you. |
guess you'll be leaving soon anyway"
II haven't got the money yet, and
I'm just shperStitious enough not to
like talking about it until l do. I'm
going to stay until I finish training:
wouldn't throw away all this effort"
They were short handed and Mazda
heaved a sigh OF relief when she
started work on her last patient. 1t
was Mrs. Ring. a big -boned woman
with odd-looking greenish eyes. She
was AZ, and it had been her first
baby. She was almost ready to leave
the hospital. Mazda judged, and she
hurried through the bath and chang
ing the bed linen at top speed, allow
ing Mrs. Ring to help herself more
than private patients usually did.
Mazda was in a hurry, and besides,
she had just come from ward. where
you did not bathe and dress a woman
as If she were doll.
Mazda put the linen down the chute
and threw out the water There was
light over Mrs. Rings door when
she returned and Mazda went to
answer it with some evaporation.
Forever more! I've just left that
woman" she said to Roundy, who was
at the door as Mazda passed.
Didn't the girls tell you about
her?" asked Roundy indifferently.
shes all right most of the time,
but you never know when something
is going to throw her off. first
baby at her age seems to have put
her temporarily off her nut. DR.. Benz
thinks she will be all right, but we
try to do our best not to cross her"
why don't you put a restraining
jacket on her?"
"Oh, she's all right. Not dangerous
at all. Being a private patient, we
don't want to do anything like that
unless we have TO-"
When Mazda went into the room
Mrs. Ring seemed perfectly sane, but
decidedly annoyed.
Where are my teeth?" she de-
manded.
Did you have false teeth?"
II certainly did. My lowers are
false, and had them right here in
glass on the stand"
Mazda moved out the stand and
searched it thoroughly. No teeth.
She looked in the dresser drawer;
she looked under the pillow: she
looked under the bed, and shook. out
the blanket folded at the foot. OF
course, the teeth were not found.
Mazda had vivid mental picture of
herself throwing them down the hop
per with the wash water. She could
see herself pushing the tread that
flushed the hopper. Meanwhile, Mrs.
Ring berated her for careleSSneSS.
Mazda tried to soothe her, but only
succeeded in infuriating her. At last
she said stiff1y, I'm very sorry, Mrs.
Ring. OF course, will pay for new
ones"
Much good that will do. 1t will
be weeks before I can get a new set,
and all my friends will come and see
me like this. It's all your fault; 1
never saw such a stupid girl. have
a terrible pain in my back, I think
you caused it,"
Mazda realized the woman was half
hysterical.
IF you are uncomfortable, I will
give you an alcohol rub"
She turned back the cover; Mrs
Ring groaned. Mazda started to rub
on the alcohol, then corked the bottle.
She held up the missing teeth.
Here is your pain. They were Bit
ing you, Mrs. Ring" she laughed.
Mrs. Ring, her face crimson
snatched the teeth and glared at
MAZDA. "I can't imagine how they
got into my bed" she said.
Mazda, who regretted the levity she
had showed, tried in vain to calm her
patient and finally left her in no bet
ter frame of mind.
please watch the lights, Miss Con-
nell" said the senior. II have to 60
down to % to help Miss Black and
no one else is on duty. And lend me
your bandage scissors"
Mazda obediently lifted her apron,
but her pocket was empty.
I'm awfully sorry" she said. "I
know I stuck them in my belt this
morning"
That's what they all say. You
girls are getting careless. I've good
mind to report you"
Mazda did not worry over that. If
the senior had had her own bandage
scissors, there would have been no
need of her borrowing Maida's. How
ever, she had had her scissors when
she came on duty, and it was odd that
they were gone. She decided to go
back to Mrs. Rings room, in case the
scissors had fallen out when she was
bending over the bed in the search for
those abominable teeth. 1t would be
a pretty piece of luck If they should
have fallen into the bed, to produce
another pain"
Mazda went to the end of the cor
ridor, assured the patient in the end
room that the doctor had not forgot
ten her, and then started back to the
desk. To her amaZement, she saw
the door of Mrs. Rings room stealth
lily opened, and Mrs. Ring herself,
after peering suspiciously to right and
left. creep out into the corridor
Mazda did not like to risk a dis
turoance by calling to her from
distance, although something in the
gliding movements of that powerfully
built body made her very uneasy. She
could not very well escape from the
hospital, but she had no business to
be out Of bed. Mazda walked very
fast until she was just behind the
woman, then she called to her softly
but firmly.
0Cat ha OH - I.ad HFr~ D;~- I'LL