“My teeth, my lungs—why, I’m kayo! I’ve played foot— I’m in great shape—splendid heart action—great——”
Elinor, unable to restrain herself any longer, interrupted the boy in his serious discourse with a gay ring of laughter.
“Honest—Miss—Miss——”
“Nurse Martin!” she interrupted tactfully.
“Nurse Martin!” he repeated after her. “Why are they keeping me here so long? They’ve passed all the rest!”
“I don’t know,” she replied, reaching for her pen and proceeding to write out a report card. “I do wish, though, that you would sit down and calm yourself!”
Lefty walked back to his chair and followed out the girl’s wishes in mute obedience, just as the buzzer from the major’s office startled them both.
Elinor rose and walked to the door bearing the shingle of the Senior Medical Officer.
As her hand fell upon the brass knob, she turned for a fleeting moment and cast a warm, well-wishing smile in Lefty’s direction that seemed to strengthen the boy’s self-confidence.
When Elinor entered the private office of the Senior M.O., she found her superior, a genial, old four striper, with laughing gray eyes, seated before his desk, surrounded by the Junior Medical Officer and two other aides.