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Page 70
The event was over. Both Leaver and Burns, no longer under the necessity
of avoiding contact with things unsterilized, felt the small patient's
pulse and nodded at each other. The assistants bore Jamie Ferguson's
little inert body away, Miss Dodge attending.
Dr. Leaver turned to Miss Mathewson. He drew off the masking gauze from
his head, showing a flushed, moist face and eyes a little bloodshot. But
his voice was as quiet as ever as he said:
"I've never had finer assistance from any one, Miss Mathewson. If you had
been trained to work opposite me you couldn't have done better."
"You work much like Dr. Burns," she said, modestly. "That made it easy."
Burns burst into a smothered laugh. "That's the biggest compliment I've
had for a good while," said he.
As they dressed, neither man said much. But when coats were on, and the
two were ready to go to Jamie's room, they turned each to the other.
"Well, old man?" Burns was smiling like the sunshine itself into his
friend's eyes. "I think I never was so happy in my life."
"I know you're happy," said the other man. "I don't believe I'll trust
myself yet to tell you what I am."
"Don't try. We won't talk it over just yet. But I've got to say this,
Jack: You never did a more masterly job in your life."
Leaver smiled--and shivered. "I'm glad it's over," said he.
They went down to Jamie's room, and there, on either side of the high
hospital cot, watched consciousness returning. With consciousness
presently came pain.
"I'm going to stay with him," Leaver announced, by and by. Jamie's
little, wasted hand was fast in his, Jamie's eyes, when they rested
anywhere with intelligence, rested on his face--a face tender and
pitiful.
"Good for you. I shall feel easier about him if you do," and Burns went
away with the feeling that this course would be as good for the surgeon
as for the patient.
He stopped in the lower hall to telephone Ellen.
"All safely over, dear," he said. "The patient doing well so far, and no
reason why he shouldn't continue, as far as we can see."
"Oh, I'm so glad, Red," came back the joyous reply, and Burns responded:
"That goes without saying, partner. I'll tell you a lot more about it,
now, when I get back."
The Green Imp went back at a furious pace. Half-way home, however, as it
neared a figure walking by the roadside, it suddenly slowed down.
"Will you ride home, Miss Photographer?" Burns called. "Or do you prefer
trudging all the way back with that camera and tripod?"
"I'm delighted to ride, Dr. Burns," replied Charlotte Ruston.
"Captivating roadside views enticed me much farther than I intended,
and the camera weighs twice what it did when I started."
"Jump in, then, and let me give you a piece of good news I'm bursting
with," and Burns held out his hand for the camera. "You're getting a
beautiful sunburn on that right cheek," he commented.
"I'll burn the left to match it, if you won't drive too fast. You'll have
to go a little slower while you talk. I've noticed you're always silent
when you're scorching along the road."
"So I am, I believe. Well, I'm not going to be silent now. I've just come
from seeing Jamie Ferguson put on the road to future health and
happiness, the good Lord willing--and I've a notion He is."
"Jamie--the little cripple who lies on his back?"
"The same. He'll lie on his back some time longer and then, I think,
he'll get up."
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