Aunt Jane shook her head: "I'll be back by and by. You lie still and be
good. That's the way to get well."
She drifted from the room and the woman's eyes closed slowly. Something
of the fretted look had left her face.
Aunt Jane stepped out into the wide, sun-lit corridor and moved serenely
on. Her tall figure and plump back had a comfortable look as she went.
One of the men in the ward had said that Aunt Jane went on casters; and
it was the Irishman in the bed next him who had retorted: "It's wings
that you mean--two little wings to the feet of her--or however could she
get along, at all, without putting foot to the floor!"
However she managed it, Aunt Jane came and went noiselessly; and when
she chose, she could move from one end of the corridor to the other as
swiftly as if indeed there had been "two little wings to the feet of
her."
She was not hurrying now. She stopped at one or two doors for a glance,
gave directions to a nurse who passed with a tray, and went leisurely on
to the office.
Over by the window, Dr. Carmon, his gloves in his hand, was standing
with his back to the room, waiting.
Aunt Jane glanced at the back and sat down. "Did you want to see me?"
she inquired pleasantly.
He wheeled about. "I have been waiting five minutes to see you," he said
stiffly.
"The man in Number 20 is coming along first-rate," replied Aunt Jane. "I
never saw a better first intention."
The doctor glared at her. His face cleared a little. "He _is_ doing
well."
"I want you to put Miss Wildman on the case," he added.
"She's put down to go on at eleven," responded Aunt Jane.
"Humph!" He drew out his note-book and looked at it. "I suppose you
knew I'd want her."
"I thought she'd better go on," said Aunt Jane serenely.
"And Miss Canfield needs to go off--for a good rest. I shall need her on
Tuesday. There are two cases"--he consulted his notes--"a Mrs.
Pelton--she'll go into the ward--after a few days."
"Poor," said Aunt Jane.
"Yes. And Herman G. Medfield----"
"He's not poor," interposed Aunt Jane. "He could give us a new wing for
contagion when he gets well."
The doctor scowled a little. Perhaps it was the unconscious "us."
Perhaps he was thinking that Herman G. Medfield had scant chance to give
the new wing for contagion.... And a sudden sense that a great deal
depended on him and that he was very tired had perhaps come over the
surgeon.
Aunt Jane touched the bell by her table. "You sit down, Dr. Carmon," she
said quietly.
Dr. Carmon picked up his hat. "I have to go," he replied brusquely.
"You sit down," said Aunt Jane.
He seated himself with a half smile. When Aunt Jane chose to make you
like what she was doing...!
The white-coated boy who came, took an order for meat broth and
sandwiches and returned with them promptly.
"You're tired out," said Aunt Jane, as she arranged the dishes on the
swing-leaf to the desk. "Up all night, I suppose?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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