Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-06-19
CHAPTER XIV

'They get so little" She said in a
low voice, "and it means SO much to
them"
He saw that there were tears IN her
eyes and that she was fumbling for
handkerchief. He got out his own,
held it to show that it had not been
used as a buster, and gave it to her.
She was smiling when she returned
it.
''I always cry at this" she whis-
pered. Excitement. I'm perfectly
all right"
Then Santa Claus came in, portly
with pillows and wildly jingling, and
Christmas had come to the hospital.
Stockings and wooden gloves, hand
kerchiefs and muffiers, toys for the
children and an orange for every
body-the largesse was poured out
and passed around.
Sometime during that confusion
Beverly slipped away. Chris, turning
to smile down at her. found her gone,
and knew that the day was over for
him. He went about as usual, made
his belated calls and at noon sat down
with Lily Walters and Katie to
dried and overlooked turkey and what
was meant to be a plum pudding.
1t was the next day that he went
again to see Jake's widow, and to
feel bitterly that Staunton Lewis had
raised still another barrier between
Beverly and himself. For Rachel told
him that the case with the traction
company had already been settled,
and he stared at her with blank eyes.
"Settled?"
ayes, Doctor There was a man
here early yesterday morning. And
/ needed the money"
How much did you get ?"
Five hundred dollars"
And as clearly as if he had been
present he saw Staunton Lewis leav-
ing him in the hall two nights before
and not going up the stairs. Going
back instead to that library of his,
and closing the door so that he could
telephone. Telephone and settle-for
five hundred dollars.
He looked around the empty shop
where a black cloth covered the can
ary's cage. Then with anger almost
choking him he went out again.
He made no attempt to see Bev-
erly during the week that followed
Fortunately he was busy. Christmas
had brought its toll to the city's poor
Men had been drunk and abused their
families, and children were sick of
cheap candies. There was an cpl
demic of birth, too; new lives coming
in with the New Year
you've got fine little girl"
"a girl! And some day she'll have
to GO through this"
He would prop his feet on the side
of the bed and sleep between their
pains. Then at night, with the brass
ball on his bed anchored with adhe-
sive plaster and his hands stiff with
cold from the open window, he would
read surgery with fierce determine
ton. Following a longitudinal in
cision on the anterior wall
He carried on somehow-study,
city cases, private work. 1t was poor
preparation for the tasks ahead. He
found that his hands were shaking
with pure nervous irritability, and
surveyed them glumly.
Good God" he thought, II can't go
into the operating room like that"
He gave up smoking that last day
of the year, and as a consequence was
irritable to the point of frenzy.
Caesar, sensitive to all his moods, re-
tired to the kitchen and lay resigned
ly under the stove there. Lily Wal
tiers moving about her duties, at
tempted to escape attention and be-
come Invisible by walking on her
toes and drove him distracted.
1t was late that night, while the din
of the incoming New Year was still
going on, when he reached the house
and found note in Katie's uniform
cd hand on the battered hall table.
"PIease call Miss Lewis"
He looked at his watch. Charac /
teristicalIy Katie had not given the
time Of the call, and it was we'll after
midnight. But suddenly he wanted to
hear Beverly's vice; wanted it so much
that it shook him. He picked up the
receiver and made the call, to hear
her voice at once and to fancy it 4
rather unsteady, as was his own.