The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-29

never have bestowed on the
question of someone outside the
hospital. "But We are doing
everything we can. You're n t
needed, Nurse, and I'm sure you
are elsewhere"
"I'm staying here" said
Cathy, in tone no nurse had
ever used to this doctor before.
But before he could put into
words his disapproval of her
manner, she added quietly,
"You see, I'm-his wife"
The doctor looked from her
down to the bandage-swathed
man on the bed, and then gave
Cathy a little smile.
"Oh, see. There's been some
mistake" he explained quietly.
"This is young Bill Kendall here.
Your husband is probably in
some other room"
"Bill Kendall is my husband, "
Cathy said. She had not taken
her eyes from the swathed head
and face of the man who lay so
still against the pillows.
The doctor looked annoyed and
a little apprehensive.
"Oh, come now-I was born
and brought up in this town. we
known Bill Kerdo" ~,rce he was
kid, and I happen to know he's
not married."
"Oh, yes he is" stated Cathy
with a quiet sir,nn';c'+v +ho+ was
very convincing. "We were mar
ried secretly. several weese go.
And I'm going to stay here and
look after him."
'Even if what you say is tue,
Nurse, l must remind you that
l am head of the staff here and
that it is for me to decide" the
irritated doctor began sternly.
''I'm Bills wife, and I'm not
an employee of this hospital, "
Cathy pointed out quietly "I'm
a volunteer. Also, I'm an army
nurse and I've had a great deal
more experience looking t e r
men who've been-broken and
blown to bits than any other
nurse here. So I'm looking after
him."
The other nurse was wde-eyed
and gasping. That any nurse
should so far violate discipline
as to dare talk back to a doctor
- and especially the head of
staff-was to her an unthinkable
thing. But after a moment DR..
Rodgers nodded and said quiet
ly, "Of course, Nurse, under
such circumstances "
He dismissed the other nurse
and swiftly, concisely, he de-
scribed to Cathy the injuries she
was to treat, the signs she was
to watch for; and after a mo-
ment he went on his way.
Cathy bent over the still, un-
conscious form and her tears
rained down on Bill's wh''e 1oce
"Oh, Bill-oh, darling, darling,
forgive mel" she pleaded softly,
huskily. "Bill, I've been such a
fool. l had to almost lose you
before l knew the truth. Bill,
forgive me-Oh, darling!" S h e
slid down on her knees beside
the bed, her tear-wet face press
ed hard against his immobile
hand, and barely above he1
breath she whispered little
prayer that came straight from
her heart. Dear God-oh, please,
dear God-forgive me-and give
me another chance!
She rose at long last, realizing
the folly, the danger of going to
pieces at a moment when Bill
needed her desperately. It was
her skill, her faith, her devotion
that would pull Bill through; il
was battle such &c eaur women
ever have to fight, and it was
going to take, all her courage and
her self-control to hold her cwn.
She did what little she could
for him and then drew a chair
beside the bed,s folded his limp
hand between both her own, and
settled to wait, to watch, to pray,
alert to the slightest alteration
in his slow, painful breathing
thct sounded so terribly loud ir
the small room.
Dawn lightened the windows
to gray and then the sun came,
and the room was flooded with
sunlight; leaden-footed, tn e
hours crawled by like crippled
things. Cathy was conscious of
the visits of the doctors; tn e Y
studied the chart, looked at the
unconscious man, at the white
faced girl who faced them with
outward composure, cool and
alert, an admirable nurse. And
after years and years, it seem
ed to her, the sunlight faded and
dusk filled the room and then
it was dark again.
Thev MANAGED to nerc,,.do ba,