The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-13
CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VI
 When Tran opened the door to &he demonstration room, 2 plump figure sat up abruptly on khe bed in the curtained corner which represented a ward cubicle, stretched and yawned. It was Beula Esgg.
 "Hellol" Beual said, rubbing her eyes and blinking resentfully. e0oshi You would come and wake me just as was eating the best dinner ever set tooth to. We'd 9ust got around to steak and mush- rooms when you had to barge in. Say, 1t looked goodl And guess who was with" She giggled. "Top Sarge, of all people, Imagine sven dreaming about Dr. Sargent Seeding you anything but a ther- sn1ometerl"
 T can't" Tran said wearily, Simagine you dreaming about anything that didn't include food. Listen - be a sport, Tagg. Help me get ready for my demon- stration tomorrow. Anita was go- ing to be patient, but she's down with an earache.'
 Not much" Beula said with decision, and slid hastily of the bed. "It's too near dinner time to be mauled around and anyhow, Eve got back ache, myself"
 T don't maui my patients" Tran advanced purposefully. "The comfort of the patient" she quoted from . class text, "is the careful nurses first consideration Anyhow, the only thing the matter with your back is-"
 "A nurse" Beula matched the quotation with another, "'does not offer opinions. She only reports observed facts And If you're going to say eat too much, you're wrong. Miss Armstrong says nurse needs plenty of nourishment. Say, that reminds me-yOu're to 60 to Miss Armstrong's office sdght away"
 Exactly like that 1t dropped-out of c blue, cloudless sky-just at the moment when Tran had managed to forget the sword hanging over her head.
 T knew you were going to meet Anita here" Beula explained. 80 [ waited"
 "You would pick a place with a bed to wait in," Tran told her. ] What do you suppose Miss Armstrong wants?"
 "She probably wants to know Nhy my well-known sense of duty hasn't led me to report that fruit cake you keep hidden In your bureau drawer" Tran said, nerv- Ing herself with fippancy against the panic in her heart.
 Students" she quoted again r-from the House Rules this time s-"are in honor bound to report lnfringements of regulations that might reflect upon the dignity of the house. And if your constantly expanding waistline doesn't reflect Nn the dignity of the house, don't know what does"
 LII, OtihLy - yOu WOulQh II
 "Of course not, goopl" Tran said, md went to meet her doom.
 Miss Armstrong looked up from . mass of charts and reports on &he desk. folded her hands. and studied Tran thoughtfully as she closed the door behind her and stood waiting - very straight In her nun like gray dress and white apron-feeling as if her trembling must communicate itself to the aioor, and thence to the very chair in which Miss Armstrong sat.
 rye been looking through your record, Miss Dearborn" the direc- tor of nursing began.
 "Yes, Miss Armstrong;" Tran temporized. shaking more and more.
 T was particularly interested in rour early training. You were in School on the Continent, I be- tieve?"
 She's trying to let me down easy, rran thought wryly. Shed rather lay my being a misfit to the corrup- kion of European culture than to eny innate cussedness - bless her kind heartl
 Aloud she said, "Yes Yes, Niss Armstrong"
 "You speak several languages, [ understand7"
 Why, yes Yes, I do."
 "There is a critical case down on Emergency" Miss Armstrong went on. Apparently an Italian. He seems to be very anxious about oomething. It may be important to hnd out what before operating. 0ut the regular interpreter is out, and no one there can understand him. Should you mind going down md seeing what you can make of "a"
 Would she mind? She would sell her soul for the chance.
 Tran cleared her throat and phoked out, "Of course, Miss Arm btrcng. I'll try"
 As she sped away, she thought, Suppose hadn't gone into the aemonstration rooml I might :, hot have seen Beula in time. I Ras sunk enough to sneak out and meet Bob tonight. If I had, and anyone had found out, 1t would have been curtains Now,