Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-03-27
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AN
uNRAL PMS /1C j
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

JIM WAS worse and he was call.
ing for her! All the way across
town in the bumpy taxi which
finally answered Mrs. Morriss
summons, those words kept ringing
in Lona's ears. He was calling for
her!
The hospital was drowsy, it's dim
night lights burning somberly as
she came in through the door
marked Emergency" and hurried
up the corridor to Jim's room. The
doctor, serious faced, met her at
the door. Over his shoulder she
could see Jim's long figure, tossing
on the bed, the nurse lowering over
him.
what has happened?" she de-
manded. Tell me what has hap
pened? Is he very bad?"
"We're expecting crisis" the
doctor told her calmly. eve knew
it was coming, but not so soon. We
didn't think it would be until morn
ing, but now we're not so sure.
HE glanced back at the bed. II
wanted you on hand"
"YOu mean he might-might
die ?" Lona's throat CONSTRUCTED.
Anything might happen in a
crisis like this. Well hope for the
best. He's very strong"
But I thought-you knew this
was coming. You knew he wasn't
getting better and you didn't tell
me. Why didn't you tell me? I'd
never have gone home. He might
have died, and wouldn't have been
here. You had no right"
"Now, now, my DEAR" The doc
tors voice was still calm. There
was no use telling you. We thought
it would be some time tomorrow.
But it's coming sooner"
"Oh, he's got to live, doctor!
You've got to make him live! Isn't
there anything you can do?"
Nothing now but wait. We've
done everything. Please, you must
be calm. You'll harm him if you
get excited" .
"Girl" a hoarse voice sounded
suddenly from the bed. "Girl, where
are you? You've got to stop them!
Girl! Looking down at him Iona
forgot all her other fears. He
seemed to have changed since she
had seen him last. There was a
new, pinched look to his face that
struck terror to her heart. His
voice, too, was weaker.
I'm here, JIM" She tried to take
his hand, but he pushed her away.
"Girl!" he cried, again. you've
got to stop them! The nets bad, I
tell you! He'll go through-it's
murder! You've got to stop them,
girl! Don't let him jump! He'll be
killed"
"Please, jim"
"Why doesn't she come? I've got
to tell her! she'll stop them.
Girl"
In vain Iona tried to penetrate
his wandering consciousness. Each
cry was like knife piercing anew
her already lacerated feelings. She
was afraid to look at the doctor,
fearful of what she might read in
his face. And that dreadful hoarse
cry went on and on.
This net business that seems to
be bothering him." the doctor said
to her, finally, in a low aside. eff
we could get him straight on that.
Do you know what he means? ?"
Iona swallowed. "He was in a
fire once" she offered. "a hotel
fire. He had to jump from the
fifth floor. A friend of his went
through the net"
! The doctor stroked his chin.
Left an indelible impression on his
mind, I suppose. That's not so
good"
"Oh, you must do something's"
Iona burst out again, but he
stopped her with a warning look
and made her comfortable on a
chair beside the bed.
1T will not be long," he prom
iSed.
One thought kept repeating it.
self in her mind as she crouched
there on her chair through the next
Few hours. If Jim died, she didn't
want to live. There'd be no point
IN living without him. She couldn't
go back to what she had been be-
fore she had known him. He must
not die, she kept saying to herself
through stiff lips He must not die!
Dawn broke presently, with the
doctor and the nurse still working,
grim faced and silent, over his
tossing figure, and that hoarse
voice, weaker now, still pleading