The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-01-23
CHAPTER XVI

The hour and a hall on the train after hurried packing and a quick
 dash downtown in the cab, was likt a nightmare to Martha Marshall The rumbling wheels seemed to bt saying, over and over, the words Eugene had used ill his wire "Heler critically Ill, Helen critically ill Helen critically ill.,
 The sick shock. the sudden all- consuming fear for her sister, drove everything else out of Martha's mind. Helen had never been strong but she stood up to life and bat tied so valiantly! There was Eu- gene, and his little garage that sell dom made money. There were the three small children, the oldest only 2. Helen did her own housework, her own washing, her own ironing. And now, she was in the hospital.
 All those letters Helen had writ ten later-those letters asking her to come and stay with them while Bill was in the Army-had they been Helen'S indirect, heSitant way of telling her that she needed help? Help for which Eugene was unable to pay?
 A mounting panic shook her as the train neared Bayville. She was standing on the platform, suitcase beside her. her hat on, her gloves on, clasping her handbag very tightly. when at long last the train rolled in.
 Eugene was waiting for her. He was g short, stocky man, whose usu- ally ruddy face looked pasty and green There were deep rings under his eyes He was worn, haggard, as if he hadn't slept for nights
 Flows Helen?" Martha shot at him immediately. What was wrong with her? How long has she been ill the hospital?"
 She's had a hard time" Eugene evaded. "They operated this morn ing and IT kept hoping I wouldn't have to wire you
 Her fingers were tight On his arm. Do you mean Helen's-Helen's- Her voice seemed to give out. She couldn't utter the horrible word which was soaring into her. No. No. It couldn't be that bad. It couldn't be.
 "She isn't rallying," said Eugene duly. They're doing everything, but she won't rally"
 What was it?"
 He couldn't look at her. He mutt tered, Complicated. She didn't tell me right away"
 Martha bit her lip. She didn't ask him anything else as they drove to the hospital. She could guess, now. Helen was so small and slender Helen who had borne three children so quickly, one after another ...
 It was after visiting hours at the hospital. of course. The quiet lobby was dark, with pool of light over the switchboard. A nurse sitting there looked up
 She recognized Eugene, for she said at once, Go right up, MT. Nu- gent
 A nurse at the chart desk rose and walked toward them. Her rub Der heels were almost SoundleSs on the tile floor She's not sleeping, MT. Nugent. You may go right in."
 Martha braced herself as the nurse opened the door of a room just beyond the bay widowed waiting room She tried to pin a smile to her lips, in case Helen should be lying there, watching the doorway, waiting for them.
 But Helen wasn't caring who came or went, she realized in the next shocked second. Helen lay white and bloodleSS on the bed, with parched lips, with tumbled hair to which the odor of ether still clung. Her fever-bright eyes were fixed on the ceiling.
 "Oh, Helen! HelenI" The cry was torn from her.
 Helen's head moved on the pillow. She looked at her sister, but her ex- precision scarcely changed. Martha ran to the bed and bent over it. Helen, darlingl You're going to be all right, aren't you, sweet? You're going to get well, aren't you?'
 The too-bright eyes didn't seem to understand, at first. Martha took her sisters thin fingers in hers and squeezed them. Helen, it's Martha. Don't you recognize me?"
 And then Helen smiled, and sud- denly she seemed to have come back from the far land to which she had journeyed so strangely, with her eyes wide open
 Next morning, Martha waited for the doctor in the hospital corridor. How is my sister?" she asked, him bluntly. She seemed so strange last night-for little while"
 The doctor had kind, shrewd eyes. and a reassuring smile. "She wasn't doing very well yesterday But she's =