Marion Marlowe's True Heart, or, How a Daughter Forgave — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“Sometimes I wish that I b Ee F said, slowly. could always have been a ‘probationer. The girls were busy in the medicine-room 4 the ward as they talked. Miss Williams was getting out lint and bandages for a coming operation, while Marion was busy cleaning a number of surgical instruments. #'T, feel more ike a scullery maid than I do ke a nurse,’ ’ she said, laughing, as she care- ‘fully polished some knives and arr ranges them in the case. _“YThere’s your bell,” eid. Miss Williams, quickly, as she heard a soft tinkle. Marion dropped her cloth and started toward her patient. i “Miss Marlowe!” ‘ _ Miss Williams raised her voice, but spoke gently and pleasantly. - “Please pick up your cloth and lay it on ne table, then move swiftly, but more silent- ly as you go to your patient!” She smiled as she spoke, and Marion nod- ded gratefully. ~ “T see Iam much too impulsive,” regretfully. _ line my emotions ?” | — “Of course you will,’ said Miss Williams, as she passed out of the door. “You'll learn anything that you wish to, Miss Marion Marlowe.” It was Kittie B——— who had rung the bell. She was lying in bed, her face as white as her pillow, with a tiny red-faced infant nestling beside her. ai “May I have a drink of water?’ she whis- ~ Aah with a faint smile. “I guess I am feverish—I’m awful thirsty.” “Certainly you shall have it, dear,’* was Marion’s prompt answer. Then it suddenly occurred to her that she had no right to promise anything. “T’ll have to ask Miss Williams first, _ though, Kittie,” she said, quietly; “but I _ guess there is no doubt but what you can fs Shave the water.” she said, _— It was only a minute before Marion re- __turned with the water, but the request had i= brought Miss Williams promptly to the bed- MY QUEEN. “Oh, will I ever learn to discip- 21 temperature thermometer was out, and it was discovered that Kittie had a fever. “The maternity ward is not the place for fevers,” said Miss Williams to Marion when they were out of hearing of the patient. “Put the screen around Kittie’s bed and keep her as quiet as possible. If the baby annoys her or she ‘annoys the baby, take it out and put it in the crib beside the bed. I will look at her again in fifteen minutes.” Marion went back to the bed and found Kittie fidgeting. There was a look in her face that frightened Marion somewhat. She took the baby up and laid it in the crib, then turned to soothe Kittie with. a smile and a few encouraging words. Ms. The flush of fever was rising to the sick . girl’s pale face now, so that even Mari untrained eye could observe and study el symptoms. She bathed her brow and moistened her lips, but the fire in the girl’s veins seemed to burn hotter and hotter. An hour later and Miss Williams had called the house physician to the bedside. Kittie was moaning softly and turning her head from side to side. “Tt’s a pity we did not know more about her when she came,” said Dr. Hall as he turned away. “The girl is in a very danger- ous condition.” CHAPTER XI. SOME SHOCKING INCIDENTS. The next two days were busy ones for Marion, for she was almost constantly at the bedside of poor, delirious Kittie. As the girl tossed on her pillow she talked incessantly, so that, bit by bit, Marion learned her sad history, finding that, like herself, the child had been born and bred in the coun- try, but had run away from her home only to find treachery and disgrace in a con-- scienceless city. The names of “father” and “mother” were constantly on her lips. Then there was another name which she tried to speak, but which seemed always to be choked back by a flood of agony or a torrent of bit- ter, ill-timed denunciations. Marion guessed that this name would have meant a revelation. It was doubtless the name of poor Kittie’s betrayer, which, COmmiclboo! KS} (CO)