The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1946-11-07

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His eyes looked dark and, she
thought, uncertain, but they met
hers. very directly.
Il believe in you, Cliff"
His fingers frightened on hers
for one brief moment, then he
dropped them and turned to
Richard. When he spoke his
voice was almost harsh.
Help me get his coat off. Mao
mi, boil a pot of water and bring
it into the laboratory
She left without a murmur.
They managed to lift Richard
to the white examination table
but he was So tall that his long
legs hung over the end and Cliff
had to drag another small table
over to balance them.
The kerosene lamps made the
small sterile room seem alien to
Janet. She went about her work
automatically, assembling the in
struments Cliff would need, lay
ing them on a clean towel, get
ing out rubber gloves.
They cut Richards shirt off
him. He lay silent, unmoving,
while his broad chest rose and
fell steadily, blood yelling from
the wound with each breath.
Under Cliffs instruction Naomi
dripped ether On a gauze mask
and held it over Richards face.
"All right, Janet, I'll begin"
Cliffs tone was terse, profess
sional. Their eyes met briefly
as she handed him the probe.
His fingers moved quickly,
skillfully as she had seen him
move once before. But it was not
easy. He had difficulty locating
the bullet. He had to work with
caution, the wound was danger
ously close to the left lung, one
slip, and
He had the power in his hands
now. Only Cliff knew exactly
how dangerous the wound was.
One slip of the scapel and Janet
would be released from the con-
flicting emotions that had be-
come a torment.
He swore softly under his
breath.
She looked up, stared across at
him-his forehead was beaded
with a fine dew of perspiration!
She smiled across at him, but
he seemed hardly aware of her
identity.
"Hand me the flashlight," he
snapped at Naomi.
He peered into the wound,
probing, feeling, and then, sud-
denly, like pea out of pod, the
bullet was out and lying in Cliffs
open palm. But he didn't pause
only when sulpha had been
used, the wound cleaned and
closed, and dressed, did he
straighten up and mop his mois-
ture from his forehead. He
grinned at Janet.
GAS soon as the roads open
we'll have someone from the hos
pital come out and examine him,
but I think he'll be all right"
She swallowed. ooh, Cliff,
you've been wonderful"
Never mind-he isn't we'll yet.
I'm glad there's a fireplace in
his bedroom, we want to keep it
at as even a temperature as pos
sible. Naomi, ask Mr.. Miles to
see that there's plenty of wood,
will you?"
She and Cliff got Richard into
bed, then he turned to her. ."This
has been a strain for you, Janet
why don't you go into the kitch-
en- and get something to eat?"
mo, Cliff, you 60. Mrs. Miles
has some of her hot coffee on
the stove and there are lots of
things in the icebox. Get Naomi
to fix something up for you.
Please want to stay with
Richard"
'You love him very much,
don't your"
She could only nod and turn
away as her eyes filled with
tears.
Janet and Cliff took turns sit
ting beside Richards bed. He
seemed to be resting easily and
while one watched, checking on
his pulse and respiration, the
other stole few moments of
sleep in the adjoining den.
1t was still early in the eve
ming when Janet caught herself
nodding in her chair; she was