The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-03-29

Marcia spent most of the follow- ing morning with Miss Sellers and Ralph Hanson, Jr. Both had been released from the hospital. Mc- DOugall, she learned, was not vel ready to leave.
 Si'c heard his praises sung by each of those he had rescued, and remembered her own debt to him "a debt which she had been able to acknowledge only after Seeking him out.
 He had never called on her, dur ing her own stay in the hospital to pay his respects and express even the usual polite corcern-and this despite the fact that her nurse had recited evidence of his caring very much indeed.
 What-outside of his present ill- ness -ailed McDougall? How and why had he stopped caring? Or had she been too ready, too eager, to be- lieve that he cared?
 And, in such a state of affairs, why was she now on her way to the hospital to see him2
 "A bit unmaidenly, I'm certain, Marcia told herself, but Joan said it was important"
 What on earth had Joan been talking about when she telephoned last night? Joan was not always specific, and her tumble of words over the phone had been confusingly of house and lot and some plans, and she had hung up, before Mar cia could get her to make it clear CT, with an imperative order to go and see McDougall-it was not to be neglected.
 There were voices in the corridor, and footsteps, softened by the lino- leum, that halted at the half-open door.
 80 I thought to myself said the cheerful voice of Peggy Holmes, R. N., My gosh, it's the tragic faced guy himself, and he's gone and jumped in the bay like I knew he would, sooner or later"
 Some murmur replied.
 "Here is Miss Canf1eld," said the nurse, pushing the door wide.
 McDougall opened his eyes.
 Marcia was coming toward the bed.
 Joan Bradford told me you want- ed to see me-" she said. "I'd have come before, but wasn't sure you'd well, you've been so ill."
 How could she say that she thought he had meant to avoid herr
 With obvious regret, Peggy Holmes turned from the door and went away.
 Joan told you that?" McDoug- all asked.
 "Yes, last night. I could get just what she said over the telephone, but 1t was something about my lot on the hill. She said it was very important and you wanted to see about it right away. I couldn't im- agine-."
 McDougall thought for several moments without speaking.
 "Your lot?" he asked at last.
 "Yes. Did I get it right?"
 "She had nerve!" said McDougall with feeling.
 Tt must be my mistake. really thought she said lot"
 "She said 1t, all right. She wouldl But I didn't know it was your lot-believe mel"
 We can just drop it, if you like" said Marcia. "Oh, and Joan said you had some plans for me to sec or am I wrong?"
 sYou're quite right. But didn't ask Joan to call you or to tell you darn thing. I'd like to smack her right on the nose!" McDougall said. unconsciously appropriating Mike Bradford's own frequent but never realized ambition.
 Marcia looked out the window to cover her embarrassment. If this vas joke of some sort!
 Why, that's the lot, up on the hill," she said, picking up the topic she had dropped But, of course, you knew that"
 T didn't know it." said McDou- gall ungraciously, but I know It now"
 Marcia saw no hope for their in- ierview.
 This is silly, isn't it?" she said. Well, let me see the plans, any, way, if that's what Joan really said. She was emphatic about it, assure you. Or shall we drop that, too?"
 McDougall grimly handed her the papers.
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