Halfway down he hesitated.
Three minutes later he walked through Ward B, ascertained from a student nurse that Dr. James was at lunch and Dr. Mattus still with the students. Then he opened the door of Room Two.
Rested, relaxed eyes, whose black shadows had disappeared, whose violet shades sung against the white pillows, turned peacefully toward his measuring brown ones.
The girl took a cigarette from between her lips and began:
“I slept like a lamb. My leg doesn’t hurt. I told the interne a nurse brought me the cigarettes and they quieted my nerves, so your shirt-tail is clear. She let me keep them.... I’ve been thinking a lot. Look here! Today is Tuesday! There is absolutely no sense keeping me here, forever....”
Dr. Ethridge Sterling, Junior, closed the door sharply and strode over to the bed. His features were flattening. His dark curly hair was dishevelled. His voice had its “’Night!” quality.
“You are my patient and you are not to get out of that bed until I say so. I know today is Tuesday just as well as you do. Possibly better! What you seem never to realize is that I am a tremendously busy man. A Physician-in-Chief works! You are not the only patient in this hospital ... but God knows you are the most petulant! Spending all your days lying there thinking up problems to hound me with! Tying yourself in knots of complications, instead of realizing you are a damned lot luckier than you deserve!”
Her mouth had been contracting slowly. When Cub stopped for breath she opened it quickly and began:
“You may be right about the luck, Doctor Sterling. But one thing medicine has failed completely to teach you is that people without money still have pride! Do you think I’ve enjoyed lying here for ninety-six hours having you throw up to me that the Attorney-General will pay my bills? Do you? There is a rumor that the Attorney-General is going to be in the next Cabinet. I was riding with him to try and find out. If I had found out, I’d have had a scoop big enough to pay all the damned-old bills you care to sling at me....
“Well ... I didn’t find out! But that doesn’t keep me from ‘growing the bills.’ I’ve got to hold my job to meet them and I’ve got to get out to do it! And all the medical hysterics you could ever throw doesn’t change the facts. I....”