said gently. “It’s all right. I am sure you have been working too hard. But now don’t think anything more about it. Just lie still and rest. Sometime tomorrow, or when you feel really strong again, come to my office and we will talk it over. I want you to know that I am your friend and you need not be afraid of
anything
or
anybody.
Now, go to sleep. It will be all right when you wake up.”
He stepped over to the nurse and gave directions that the room was to be kept absolutely quiet and that the probationer be allowed to sleep as long as she would. Then he turned toward Janice again and flashed her a reassuring smile. Janice, watching him with those wide eyes that still held fright in their depths, answered with a look of gratitude, and then the old reserve dropped down like a veil over her face.
He went away to his office, but all evening his mind hovered over the thought of the girl and tried to plan what he could do for her relief.
Meanwhile Janice lay wide awake, staring up at the ceiling in the dim light that came through the transom, her heart beating wildly, as she tried to think what she should do.
The fact was startling. Her enemy was under the same roof with her! So much she remembered plainly. Whether he had recognized her or not in his befuddled state, she wasn’t sure. All had gone blank with her after her first look at him. The same Herbert, only more selfish perhaps, more bestial, heavy eyes, thick sensuous lips, devilishly handsome even in his stupid, drunken state. If he saw her he would use his villainous tongue to tell awful lies about her the way he had sometimes done with Louise. She
could not
stay here! It would be impossible to keep out of his sight. She must get away at once. He was, of course, the new patient. She recalled the doctor’s word, “
Alcoholism
!” Then he must be trying to stop drinking again, or to get over a terrible spree. Perhaps this was the very place he had been twice before.
And Dr. Sterling would find out. He had probably found out already that her fainting was connected to the stranger. She must
not
stay here another
hour.
Her enemy and the jealous nurses together would make it impossible. It would only make trouble for the doctor if he tried to protect her. She must go! But how? “Oh God! I can’t plan, I’m so frightened! Please help me. Please show me what to do!” she prayed.
And then, like an answer to that petition, came the sound of an ambulance driven to the side entrance. She knew it had been ordered to take a nurse who was convalescing from a slight illness to the train for a little visit home to her mother, to rest for a few days before returning to her duties. Dare she try and get Sam to help her away?
She sprang from her bed, weak and trembling as she was, and, locking her door, slipped a few necessities into a little overnight bag that a grateful patient had given her, fastened her uniform that she had been wearing all day, adjusted her white cap, and, snatching up a dark blue cape that was a part of her nurse’s outfit, softly stole out of her room.
Her rubber-soled shoes made no sound as she went down the quiet hall and out the side door where she knew Sam must be sitting in his ambulance.
Walking down the stone steps briskly, she spoke in a low, decided voice to the supine Sam.
“Sam, you’re to take me just as quickly as you can to the Junction station to catch the express.
Quick!
There isn’t a
minute
to lose!”
Sam sat up, astonished.
“But I was to wait here for Nurse Wiley. She’s going home, and she’s going to take the local from Enderby. Those are the orders from the head nurse.”
“Yes, I know,” said Janice with dignity, climbing hastily into the back of the ambulance, “but you’re to take me first to the Junction. I must catch that train. You’ll get back in time for Miss Wiley.”
She closed the door of the ambulance, sat back, and was relieved to hear Sam starting his engine. Was she really going to get
anything
or
anybody.
Now, go to sleep. It will be all right when you wake up.”
He stepped over to the nurse and gave directions that the room was to be kept absolutely quiet and that the probationer be allowed to sleep as long as she would. Then he turned toward Janice again and flashed her a reassuring smile. Janice, watching him with those wide eyes that still held fright in their depths, answered with a look of gratitude, and then the old reserve dropped down like a veil over her face.
He went away to his office, but all evening his mind hovered over the thought of the girl and tried to plan what he could do for her relief.
Meanwhile Janice lay wide awake, staring up at the ceiling in the dim light that came through the transom, her heart beating wildly, as she tried to think what she should do.
The fact was startling. Her enemy was under the same roof with her! So much she remembered plainly. Whether he had recognized her or not in his befuddled state, she wasn’t sure. All had gone blank with her after her first look at him. The same Herbert, only more selfish perhaps, more bestial, heavy eyes, thick sensuous lips, devilishly handsome even in his stupid, drunken state. If he saw her he would use his villainous tongue to tell awful lies about her the way he had sometimes done with Louise. She
could not
stay here! It would be impossible to keep out of his sight. She must get away at once. He was, of course, the new patient. She recalled the doctor’s word, “
Alcoholism
!” Then he must be trying to stop drinking again, or to get over a terrible spree. Perhaps this was the very place he had been twice before.
And Dr. Sterling would find out. He had probably found out already that her fainting was connected to the stranger. She must
not
stay here another
hour.
Her enemy and the jealous nurses together would make it impossible. It would only make trouble for the doctor if he tried to protect her. She must go! But how? “Oh God! I can’t plan, I’m so frightened! Please help me. Please show me what to do!” she prayed.
And then, like an answer to that petition, came the sound of an ambulance driven to the side entrance. She knew it had been ordered to take a nurse who was convalescing from a slight illness to the train for a little visit home to her mother, to rest for a few days before returning to her duties. Dare she try and get Sam to help her away?
She sprang from her bed, weak and trembling as she was, and, locking her door, slipped a few necessities into a little overnight bag that a grateful patient had given her, fastened her uniform that she had been wearing all day, adjusted her white cap, and, snatching up a dark blue cape that was a part of her nurse’s outfit, softly stole out of her room.
Her rubber-soled shoes made no sound as she went down the quiet hall and out the side door where she knew Sam must be sitting in his ambulance.
Walking down the stone steps briskly, she spoke in a low, decided voice to the supine Sam.
“Sam, you’re to take me just as quickly as you can to the Junction station to catch the express.
Quick!
There isn’t a
minute
to lose!”
Sam sat up, astonished.
“But I was to wait here for Nurse Wiley. She’s going home, and she’s going to take the local from Enderby. Those are the orders from the head nurse.”
“Yes, I know,” said Janice with dignity, climbing hastily into the back of the ambulance, “but you’re to take me first to the Junction. I must catch that train. You’ll get back in time for Miss Wiley.”
She closed the door of the ambulance, sat back, and was relieved to hear Sam starting his engine. Was she really going to get
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