“Let her have them next time.” Doctor Fuller put all his persuasive charm into the words. “I need Leerie—some one who can roll up her sleeves and pitch in. Let me have her just this once.”
But Miss Maxwell was obdurate. “She’s asleep now, and she’s going to sleep as long as she needs to. I’ll give you Miss Grant—she’s had a month at the Maternity at Rochester.”
“A month!” Scorn curled up the ends of the doctor’s mustache. The next instant they were almost touching in a broad grin. “Leerie likes cases like this—just eats them up. I’m going after her.” And before the superintendent of nurses could hold him he was down the corridor on his way to the nurses’ dormitory.
Ten minutes later he was back, grinning harder than ever. He had only time to thrust his head in the door and wave a triumphant arm. “She’s dressing—as big a fool about babies as I am! Said she’d slept a whole hour and felt fresh as a daisy. How’s that for spunk?”
“I call it nerve.” Miss Maxwell smiled a hopeless smile. “What am I going to do with you doctors? You wear out all my best nurses and you won’t take—” But Doctor Fuller had fled.
In spite of his boast of her, the baby specialist saw Sheila O’Leary visibly cringe when she took her first look at Pancho. He lay sprawling on his mother’s bed in a room littered with hastily opened bags and trunks out of which had been pulled clothing of all kinds and hues. He had been relieved of the lace and pink ribbons and was swathed only in shirt and roundabout, his arms and legs projected like licorice sticks; being of the same color and very nearly the same thickness. He was dozing, tired out with the combination of much travel, screaming, shaking, and loss of breath. So wasted was he that the skin seemed drawn tight over temple and cheek-bones; the eyes were pitifully sunken, and colorless lips fell back over toothless gums.
“How old is—it?” Sheila whispered at last.
“About nine months.”
Sheila shuddered. “Just the adorable age. Ought to be all pink cheeks, dimples, and creases—and look at it!”
“I know, but wait. Give us time and we’ll get some of those things started.” Doctor Fuller wagged his head by way of encouragement.