Miss Franklin darted past her just as the elevator stopped and let out an orderly and two doctors, who were all struggling with a patient.
Marion shrank back against the wall to give them a chance to pass her, and as she did so she overheard the house physician saying something to Miss Franklin.
“It developed yesterday as she was coming up on the boat. I’ll have her transferred to Ward’s Island to-morrow.”
“And meanwhile we’ll have all the other patients standing on their heads,” was Miss Franklin’s curt answer. “It seems to me that all the lunatics are brought straight to the ‘Medical’!”
“Can’t help it this time,” said the doctor, smiling, “and you know you can manage her the best of any one, Miss Franklin.”
The head nurse flushed at this genuine compliment. She was as conscientious as she was exacting, and such words were her recompense.
For the next few minutes everything was in commotion, for with a sudden effort the new patient sprang from the orderly’s arms and, rushing the length of the ward, bounded up on a table which held some charts and glasses.
“Quick! before she secures a weapon!” said the doctor to the orderly in a low, fierce tone.
The orderly sprang forward, but he was a minute too late. The woman had snatched a couple of glasses and cracked them together. With a piece of jagged glass in each hand she stood, alert and waiting.