Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-12-02
CHAPTER 13

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must be done quickly. A hot wetness
was pouring from her shoulder down
her left arm.
A block off, on a corner, stood a
taxicab. She prayed: "Dear God, let
me reach it-quickly-"
She got there.
Light from a street lamp shone on
her. She put hand to her shoulder
instinctively to cover the revealing
stain that was growing momentarily
bigger.
"Would you please drive to the near
est hospital-the Emergency Depart
ment ?" she faltered.
There's one on Thirty-third Street.
That okay?" began the driver. Then,
giving a closer look at his new fare,
he let out a sudden whistle. "For the
love of Mike, what's hapepned to
you, Miss? You got hurt? What is
it? Who done it?"
"It's nothing! Nobody!" He sprang
down to open the door, to help her
into the cab, for she was unsteady on
"There's blood all over you. Lie
her feet.
back. Take it easy. I'll get you there
In a jiffy.
They were off like a streak up
Bleecker Street, whirling round cor
ner, ignoring red lights and cross
ings.
cam I dying?" thought Ann weak
ly. The hand that held her wounded
shoulder was soaked through its glove.
"Here y'are, Miss!" The taxi had
swung through huge pair of open
gates and stopped at the entrance of
a building under big arclight. The
driver opened the door. STEADY now!
Lean on me and We'll get up them
steps!"
They were in a passage, stopping
at a desk behind which sat spec
tacled woman in uniform.
Name, please?"
''N-Nellie Wagner" murmured
Ann desperately, for standing close
to the nurse she perceived to her fur
ther concern, the bulky figure of a
policeman!
How awful if they were to take her
to police headquarters, if scandal
were to break in the newspapers!
"What's the matter with you? Ac
cident?"
"Some guys stabbed her." volun-
teered the taxicab driver.
"No. No. Butt got-hurt,"
stammered Ann. She fumbled in her
bag, drew out dollar. "Never mind
the change" She thrust it at him.
The woman behind the desk had
pressed a button somewhere, and i'm
mediately, apparently conjured from
a nurse appeared.
"Hurry her into the operating room
She's bleeding" said the spectacled
one authoritatively.
"You wait here till talk to you,"
Ann heard the policeman order the
taxicab driver as she was led off.
1t seemed a long passage. The
white walls were bobbing up and
down queerly, as if she were on a
ship. From far away, she seemed to
hear voice advising her to pull her
self together-everything would be
ali right.
Came an interim of blankness. She
opened her eyes to find herself lying
,n white steel table.
A man in a white coat with nice
Young face-and splotches of blood
upon his coat-was doing something
deftly to her shoulder, which throb-
bed fiercely.
"How did this hapen?"
CT don't know" weakly whisper
ed Ann. And then, conscious that this
sounded futile, and that no one would
believe her, added: "I tripped an fell
and cut myself"
Badly"
Ann closed her eyes. Like an i'm
possible dream it seemed-a night
mare. She would wake up and find
herself at home. Renita Parrish
hadn't really stabbed her! 1t was
ridiculous!
Came the voice of the young in
terne at her side.
Feeling better? You'll have to
rest bit. Lost quite lot of blood,
you know. Here, drink this down."
A hand under her uninjured shoulder
he raised her little, putting a glass
to her lips.
She drank obediently. Lay back
a moment, Felt measure of strength
return.
Her handbag? Where was it? They