The Washington times., 1937-01-14

go and inform JlmS motherln-
law. Endicott took the lad by
the hand and went back to the
library. 1t was unoccupled. NO
body was patronizing the library
much during that frantic perod.
"Well, sonny" began Endicott,
closing the door, we did every
thing we knew"
1.-THE boy swallowed hard, a
couple of times, and asked, Is
my daddy
"'Yes,' growled Endicott, as If
he were reporting some monStrous
injustice, he is; but he repeated
lamely, we did everything we
knew
"I fully expected to see the gal
liant little fellow cave in, for he
was nervouSly exhausted from
worry and loss Of sleep. But he
had a lot of strong stuff packed
away that we didn't know about.
He stood there tense, his fists
clenched until his thin knuckles
showed white, his babyish mouth
twisted into a hard knot, looking
as if he had just been struck
blow in the face. And then, to
our amazement, he piped out in
shrill treble. Now I'll have to
be a doctor!'
"Endicott took a turn or two,
up and down the room, muttering
'Doctor!. My God!. He wants
to be a doctor!' Then he stood
for a long time at the window,
looking out. After a while, he
came back, reached out his hand
to the boy as he might have done
had they been contemporaries,
and controlling Shaky voice, he
said, Very good, sir. And II l
may be Of any service to you, I
am yours to command.
In white duck, Newell Paige
emerged from the dreSSing-room
on the top floor where he found
Frances Ogilvie. 1t was not a sur
prise. He was always meeting her.
BY agreement, arrived at many
/ months earlier, they waived the
conventional greetings and re-
stricted their talk to necessary
business.
"Dr. Endicott Is not to be here
today" she said criSply.
IT know" Paige replied. IT met
DR.. Lane outside. Has Mrs. Dex-
ter been told Of the postpone
ment? We were to have had her
first"
Miss ogilvie's cryptic smile was
unpleasant.
"I believe not" she said. "The
others have been notified, butt
the carefully penciled brows
arched slightly-"I thought you
might wish to talk to Mrs. Dexter
yourself" There was an inquir-
ing pause which DR.. Paige might
make use of, If he desired, for
purpose of explanations. denials,
or just plain Stammering, but he
allowed the opportunity to pass.
Il understand Mrs. Dexter has
become very fond of you," fin
iShed Miss OgilVie.
Thanks" Paige pushed the
button for the elevator.
A wee bit of a problem-this
competent, bronze-haired, physi-
cally opulent, chief surgical nurse.
Once a warm comradeship be-
tween them had been in the max.
ing, but they had spoiled it for
each other beyond any hope of
mending.
One stormy afternoon in March,
quite eXaSperated over Paige'S
willful inattentiveness to her
rather obvious and slightly dis
concerting overtures, she had i'm
petuously tossed herself at him
with awkward results. He had
been sitting alone in the labora-
tory for a half-hour, studying an
X-ray thoracic which wasn't any
too generous with its disclosures.
For some minutes she had stood
at his elbow looking over his
shoulder before he became aware
that she had no errand in the
room. Her arm touched his
lightly.
Hello" he drawled preoccu-
piedly. whats the good news
with you, Miss Ogilvie?"
She did not respond to the
casual inanity as he had expected,
and a meaningful silence had en-
sued Of such duration that he had
put the plate down on the table
and turned his head in her direc-
ton, looking squarely and at very
close range into pair of queSting
blue-green eyes.
I'm as lonesome as the devil
II you really want to know" she
confided, in a low tone of in
timacy, adding presently-And my
name is Frances hate Miss
Ogilvie.'
Paige hooked the rung of a
neighboring stool with his toe and
dragged it nearer.
sit down, won't you?"
She complied with reluctance,
her half-impatient gesture and
audible sigh implying a wish that
she were well out of this unhappy
situation.
II like that name" said Paige
companionably. IF the hospital
regulations encourage us to have
Christian names it would be easy
to call you by yours"
Her face frightened little and
she murmured, II could say yours,
think"