The child raised her hand to Aunt Jane's face. "You don't smile!" she said imperiously.
Aunt Jane looked down at her severely.
The child laughed out, and nestled close and presently they were playing a game. It was not a new game in the ward; other children played it sometimes. But you were only allowed to play it if you had been very ill and were getting well; or perhaps if you were going home—day after to-morrow, and father and mother might be drunk and might break tables and chairs—and perhaps a child's arm if it got in the way of their playfulness.... The game was to catch Aunt Jane off guard and take off her spectacles and cap—and see how she looked.
The child reached up a quick hand and laughed.... Aunt Jane dodged and shook her head, and escaped the hand. And then—perhaps because Susie was going home day after to-morrow—she had caught off the spectacles and Aunt Jane's cap lay on the floor and the hair was escaping from its pins and coming down all about her face and shoulders—and the child was lying back against her arm, looking at her and laughing happily.
The door from the corridor swung silently, and Dr. Carmon stood looking into the room.
The children in the beds turned merry eyes to him.
But his hand made a gesture and they held their breath, laughing as he came down between the beds and stood looking sternly at the figure in the big chair.
Aunt Jane was groping at the tumbled hair and she was laughing gently, watching the child's face.
Then she looked up——
"Mercy sakes!" Her hand reached for her cap.