Red Pepper's Patients / With an Account of Anne Linton's Case in Particular

ed barn behind his house which served as his garag

when for any reason he preferred not to drive himself, which was seldom-and who kept the car

sir," he replied. "Not unless th

housand dollars for the t

servant, who by virtue of five years of service knew wher

body-so long as there was another surg

e," argued Johnny. "You

you're an idiot!" he informed him.

mother's illness. So, unhappily for the person at the other end of the wire, the Doctor himself answered the ring. It had been a hard day, following other h

?... No, I can't.... What?... No. Get somebody else.... What?... I can't,

muttered Burns, slamming the receiv

as summoned to the telephone, the upstairs extension, in his own dressing room. With every red hair

at?... Well, that's all imagination, as I've told her ten thousand times. There's absolutely nothing the

had preceded the entrance of Ellen, but Bu

h happier now?" she as

fault of the escape valve

m, where he sat, half dressed and ruddy in his bathrobe. He put up both arms

" he remarked. "I'm all in to-night, and ugly as a bear, as usual. I feel better, just this minute, with yo

et the full force of that concussion. With a scowl on his brow he lifted the receiver, and his preliminary "Hello!" was his deepest-throated growl. But then the scene changed. Red Pepper listened, the scowl giving place to an expression o

here. Call Doctor Buller for me, and l

gave a hurried explanation, in answer to his

und his recklessness! I'm afraid he's made a mess of it th

Ellen's face

, too. Call Johnny, please, and have hi

strong coffee Cynthia always made him at such crises when, in spite of fatigue

e said as he set down the cup and, pulling his ha

ep going," was Burns's gruff reply, though the kiss he left on her lip

came in at daylight; she heard the car go in at the driveway, and, rising hu

ong-armed embraces which speak of a glad return to one whose life is a part of one's own. "I wonder,

rt was heavy. Her own heart sank. But she waited, ask

t yet," he said. "I just want you. I'm keeping you in suspense, I know; I oughtn't to do that. Jord's life is

ness partially lifted by the heartening little breakfast Ell

twenty-five or thirty. There wasn't much on the street except ahead, by the curb, a wagon, and coming toward him a big motor truck. When he was fifty feet from the wagon a fellow stepped out from behind it to cross the street

do, with the motor truck taking up half the narrow street. The pavement was wet-a shower was just over. Of course she skidded completely around to the left, just missing the truck, and when she hi

h, and Ellen, listening, cried out again

You don'

t off, an hour after

er husband's arm. He sat with set lips, and eyes staring at the empty fireplace before

I never did a harder thing in all my life. I suppose army surgeons get more or less used to it, but someh

but later, when both were steadied, he adde

med beggar who got in his way, but of course it didn't take any force off the way he jammed on those brakes when he saw it was a friend he was going to hit. And a friend he was going to maim-pretty hard choice to make, wasn't it? But of course

I tho

l-the nurses have got a couple of interesting cases on their hands for a while. No doubt Aleck will be well looked after. As for J

first time, but his face

cked the girl out of my mind for the time being, though I shall get her back again fast enough, if I don't find things going right when I see her. Well"-he turned his wife's face towa

down and I'll pu

were not wholly at ease, could not forget, even in his dreams, what he had had to do a few hours ago. She thought of young Aleck with his manly, smiling face, his pride in keeping Jordan King's car as fine and efficient beneath its hood-mud-splashed though it often was without-as he did the shining limousine he drove for Mrs. Alexander King, Jordan's mother. She thought of what

self fit for anything again, and setting off, immediately breakfast was over, for

ey can see each other. When I left Jord the door was open, and he was staring in at Aleck, who was still sleeping off the anesthetic, and a big tear was running down Jord's cheek. He ca

she had not known just all that term means among men when it is applied to such a one as he. If he had been r

n his back without so much as a pillow beneath his head. His hair was carefully brushed, his bandages were conc

e said, returning the firm pressure

wonderful flowers," he said with a nod toward the ranks

known you would be deluged with them. Daisies and b

rudge me the pleasure of saying now what I like to his wife-and

ore substantial now-good things to eat, and books to read, if I can jus

e when that door is open we aren't far apart, and it won't be long, Doctor Bur

well, I hear.

together for an instant. "My word, Mrs. Burns-he's the stuff that heroes are made of! His living to earn for the rest of his life-with one arm-and you'd think he'd l

ee him-if he'd c

of his life. He's crazy ov

And what sort? I'm going t

n my mind. I've counted the cracks in the ceiling till I have a map of them by heart. I've worked out a system by which I can drain that ceiling country and raise crops there. There isn't much else in th

to an incident of the night just past, as told by first one patient and then the other. The two young men might have been two comra

dside to the other. "Franz is the chap with the heavy heart; these two are just enjoying

llen looked up at her husband. There was something in his face which had not been there of late-a curiously bright look, as if a cloud were li

f, beware of letting any woman come within range. My wife has

added Ellen. "Tell us, Red.

turned the corner. I hoped it yesterday, but wasn

erday. To-day he who runs may read. You wou

wo regarded each other as under peculiar circumstances men do w

t what he was thinking. But I do see he looks pretty jolly this morning, and I do

n happen yet. But the wind and waves have floated her little craft off the rocks, and the leaks in the

r of this patient of Burns's, whom neither of them had k

ould surely hear bad news. When can we begin to send her flowers again? Couldn't I send some of mine? I'd like her to have Susquehanna there, and Rappaha

to tell her you are here, just yet.

rs won't hurt her, but we don't wa

take her the posies," instructed King, h

nest of all these roses, not excepting those she had sent herself, had come from private greenhouses, she well knew. The Kings lived in the centre of the wealthiest quarter of the city, though not themse

ient when Ellen had gone, smiling back at King from over the big roses

re comfortable than I expected to be just yet. I'm not sure whe

good clean blood of yours is telling already in your

t's

er p

, his endurance of the hard drudgery of his profession as well as the brilliant performance on occasion. "I'm glad you think so-Red Pepper B

word for you-but I'd be glad t

st friends have for you. It's a bully

call me anything you li

do it-Red," vowed the younger man, with

dignity's no characteristic of mine. If Anne Linton

ng looked a little as if

und now. Made me a beautiful little speech this morning, informing me that I had to stop calling her 'little girl,' for she was twenty-four years old. As she looks about fifteen a

d to have paused at t

ght be under the old-style treatment. It strikes me you have a good deal of

ous, but King did not

o the hospital myself. And at present-well-a fellow feel

ng enough I'll break the news to her of your proximity. Doubtless your respective nurs

y car when she's ready. I've been thinking, Doctor-Red," he went on hastily, "that there's got to be

you ever did in a given period of time before. It won't be lost time at all; it'll be time gained. And when you do get back on your legs-no, don't ask

at I like the sound of it," was King's p

d happened to her son, and who visited him twice daily to bring hampers of fruit, food, and flowers, in quantity sufficient to sustain half the patients in a near-by ward. She invariably shed a few quiet tears over him which sh

rave and cheerful. Perhaps it took it out of him to be always playing the game boldly against her fears. But even so-give me the bluffers, like Red Pepper-and like Mrs. Red.

ouched than he could have imagined. Also-he would have felt that his wager concerning Susquehanna was likely to be lost. It is not conducive to the life of a rose to be loved and caress