The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-16
CHAPTER SEVEN

AS
nearly three months the November
day the Children's clinic opened IN
the east wing. The three months
had passed more swiftly than she
had expected. In. spite of herself
she had become interested in the
variety of tasks to which she was
assigned. She had progressed from
reading classes to dramatic groups.
Shed served a trick at recreation
directing and she was now assigned
to office work.
She had first found the office ork
tedious, but the staff was snort
and she had taken it on without
complaint.
The afternoon of the opening Of
the clinic she found an interesting
office duty, she was tabulatinS the
monies subscribed for maintenance.
Ideas were beginning to come to
her whereby the sums might be in
creased when a crisp voice reused
her from her reverie over her fig.
uIes. The voice said:
"Hey, Miss. Your
Fabienne Willoughby Seymour
looked UP. an expression of annoy
ance sharply etched on her patri-
clan features.
Annoyance gave way to surprise
and then a kind of appreciation as
her eyes met the figure of a tall,
broad-shou'dered young man in a
white coat.
Were you speaking TO me?'
Il was"
F~abienne's memory turned up a
line she had read somewhere: "The
proportions of the room seemed tC
diminish when he came into it
Proportions or no proportions, she
decided that this young nan needed
flattering. She flashed a look AZ
him that should have done it, and
coolly resumed her figuring.
But she felt his eyes command
ing her attention and she had to
look at him.
You can drop that" he said.
1Ou / ilOCdCu III lllC Sllll1N' l.
turned on his heel and left.
Miss Huxley is assigned to the
clinic" she called after him. She
bes?n to arrange her cards neatly.
He came back to the door. II
said you were needed in the clinic"
he repeated. There is no one to re-
oeive the patients. Come at once,
please"
A heated answer came to her
tongue, but it would have been
wasted, since he had already left.
She put her papers in a desk
drawer and went over to the clinic.
The receiving room was already
filling with patients. Fabienne sat
down at the desk and looked at a
pile Of papers which she saw were
intended to be used as histories.
Each was marked with questions and
each was headed:
lory.
She said, "Who is first, please?'
A woman with a child who wore
a heavy brace on a wasted leg came
first. Fabienne referred to her
question sheet.
The doctor opened the door. "All
right, Miss Miss?" Fabienne
Srinned wickedly to herself without
supplying her name. The doctor
said, I'm ready"
Fabienne directed the first pa
tient in.
There were sixteen patients, and
it was six when the last one was
finished and DR.. Mallory opened the
door to the reception room and came
into it. Fabienne didn't look at him
as she put the papers in the drawer
and slammed it loudly. She swept
the desk top clear of pencils.
You working tonight" the doc
tor asked.
II beg your pardon?' she said.
IF you are, you'd better set the
desk for DR.. Hopkins. He takes the
evening clinic. And this place will
have to be cleaned up" His eyes
swept the untidy room. The wall
chairs that had been arranged in
an orderly row were now disarrang-
ed; the floor was Uttered with bits
of papers. There was a pile of pea
nut shells in one corner, an apple
ore on the window sill.
~"Certainly," she said sweetly. "I1
you'll excuse me while I change to
overalls, I'll be right back with my
pail and mop"
Sorry, Princess" he said, and
smiled. A nice, snowy, disarmins
smile. "C~igaret?" he said, offering
her a package.
Fabienne wanted n but she said,
mo, thank you, DR.. Mallory in d
tone that was no more than for
NAL.
II guess l vas a bit abrupt up.
stairs. You know how it is when
we're in a hurry around here. There
We're a lot of poor youngsters wait
ing"
Zone might still be polite" she
said in a chilly voice.
.:One. might" he agreed. Some
times a busy doctor has to skip
amenities. Next time I'll present my
credentials, Miss Seymour
So. he knew who she was after
ALI
She sat back in her chair and
gave him a long, cool scrutinizins
look that heretofore had reduced hef
men to beating or habbling. DR.
Mallory, however, did neither. Hs
sat on the corner of her desk with
one leg thrown over it. and enjoyed
his cigaret. He was not, she saw at