The Washington times., 1937-11-30

FIND A CAR
What was this, though? From
the end of q street, an ambulance
swung into sight, making for
nearby garage.
A private ambulance, which
must have conveyed a patient to
some hospital.
sat abruptly on the curb and
Captain Sorel shot me a sidelong
glance and nodded. Il have al
ways wanted to ride in an ambu-
lance, stretched out on pillows"
murmured ecstatically.
The driver demurred. He had
lust taken an appendix case to
the Samaritan Hospital, he ex-
planned, but - Lausanne - on a
Sunday.
That would be 200 francs, he
finally said, and pourboire, Of
course. He'd leave a note for the
owner of the garage.
We did not haggle and soon I
was stretched full length on the
narrow bed inside, my companion
sitting in a cramped position near
me.
Now the reaction had come and
we both looked like hospital cases.
Uncomfortable nausea shook me
at each jolt of the clumsy vehicle.
It was a nightmarish ride. Time
after time, we were stopped by
road police and questioned. Cap
tain Sorel fumed and fretted,
striving hard to keep his temper.
We were barely 20 miles away
from Lausanne when suddenly We
realized that a motorcyclist was
chasing us.
One peek backwards and Cap
tain Sorel cursed: "a policeman" I"
he said, most likely they have
discovered the body and tracked
us. The game is up, ma che-re." :"
Our pursuer was gaining on us
and we could hear frantic shouts
to stop.
Finally, in a cloud Of dust, he
pulled up alongside and both
ambulance and cycle shuddered
to a stop. The moment had come.
We were ready for what he had
to say.
The policeman mopped his face
and began to speak, incoherently
at first: Labor pains-no car
no hospital nearer than Lausanne
no doctor in the village-re-
membered the ambulance"
EMERGENCY CASE
Under his guidance. the ambu-
lance was turned and we drove
back three or four miles. There,
in a lonely cottage, a distracted
woman clutched her middle-a
very ample middle-and moaned
continuously.
There was a bewildered, helpless
husband in the background, as
well as an ancient man putting
at foul pipe and a brace OF
frightened children.
The policeman took command
of the situation. I rel1nqu1shed
my stretcher and we-Captain
. sorel and I-squatted both on the
edge of it.
The husband. the ancient and
the children surged forward and
} began piling up into the confined
; space. It took all Of the laws
authority and power Of invective
:. to prevent them from coming
: with us.
t The disgruntled driver NUT
: tered something about extra pay
! and the ambulance Shuddered
: shivered, groaned and lunged for
ward.
! The law, majestic and proud on
! ! his motorcycle. rode in front. turn
: ing from time to time to see that
! all was well with the convoy.
We entered Lausanne in state
+ and barely in time. There were
ominous signs that the joltine
:. . had precipitated matters and al
. every moment, I expected the
:, = child to be born.
Another five minutes and WI
were pulling up before the house
of a doctor friend. whose address
l. I had given. The ambulance
> bounced, shuddered, stood still
y The woman uttered a piercing
shrek: Catch it! Catch It'll"
Catch what?" Captain Sore
bent over her.
1.-The child, you silly" I pushed
; him aside and was just in TIM
: to receive a wrinkled, squirminl
little morsel Of humanity.
Pandemoniun. DR.. liner, II
gaudy pajamas and slippers, hop
ping excitedly into the ambu
= lance. The law mopping his brow
and shaking his head over th'
r close shave.
!. The driver pulling at my com
panion's sleeve and demanding
S hundred francs over and abov
d the stipulated price, for the extri
r excitement of the journey.
A little later, safe and thank
r full for our escape, we sat in tn
l. doctors surgery over cups o
:. strong black coffee.
# "a healthy youngster. A mos
r amazing case," the doctor rubbet
his hands with glee. He was 1
l. good little cuss and he refrainet
e from asking too many questions
'. Eyes," Captain Sorel said slowly
d Death there and life here. al
in the days work"
T. Copyright 1887. by News syndicat
4 Company. Inc.)