Mrs. Witherspoon spoke up:
“Don’t be upset, Miss Kerr. We understands. And now thet he’s here....”
Miss Kerr looked appraisingly toward Mrs. Witherspoon and tried to deny her.
A very insistent telephone commanded her attention and threw her routine existence out of whack. She was told to prepare for a new patient and spent five minutes explaining to the night superintendent that the bed was already given to an accident room case and the patient would have to....
The orderly took advantage of the opportunity and began handing out pans along the side of the ward where Miss Parkins lay. It was Mrs. Witherspoon’s, “Pull the curtains. Pull the curtains. Quick!” which gave him an opportunity to speak to Miss Parkins unobserved.
He said, “How are you?”
“Scared.”
“I’ll watch her, close.”
“Stick to her, Snod. For God’s sake!”
His eyes came to life and strengthened her.