's very, very bad
this morning, and I ought to 'tend to her right away."

Upstairs she trotted, past Aunt Trudy's room and on to her room and
Sarah's where she rescued Jennie from under the bed.

"What are you doing, honey?" called Rosemary, as Shirley passed the
door again on her way down stairs.

"Playing with Jennie," was the wholly satisfactory answer.

"I think she plays better by herself than with Sarah," announced
Aunt Trudy. "Sarah is so apt to lead her into mischief. Would you
rather have a hem-stitched hem or ruffles, Rosemary?"

Back in the office, Shirley wasted no time in planning what to do.
She knew exactly how to proceed. Jennie was placed on the desk and
Shirley climbed into the swivel chair and grasped the scalpel. The
"operation" was to be performed on Jennie's arm, she, as a celluloid
doll, possessing an odd ridge in her anatomy that had always puzzled
Shirley. What made the ridge and what the inside of Jennie looked
like, were two questions that young doctor was determined to have
settled.

Jennie proved unexpectedly difficult to cut. Shirley stuck out her
tongue in her anxiety and breathed hard as she tried to drive the
scalpel in. It slipped suddenly, the chair tilted and the curved
shining blade cut a cruel gash in the little hand holding it so
tightly.

Pain, fright and a guilty conscience were blended in Shirley's
scream. Rosemary came rushing down, followed by Aunt Trudy who added
her cries to the child's when she saw her doubled up on the floor,
rocking back and forth and calling for Rosemary.

"Are you hurt, darling? What's the matter? Tell Auntie," begged Aunt
Trudy bending over the little girl.

"I cut my hand!" Shirley straightened up and Aunt Trudy caught a
glimpse of the bleeding hand and the front of the child's blouse all
stained where she had held it.

The sight of blood always unnerved Aunt Trudy. She shrieked now and
covered her eyes with her hands.

"I can't look at it--I'll faint, I know I shall!" she cried.
"Shirley will bleed to death, Rosemary. She has an awful cut. What
shall we do! What shall we do!"

The terrified Shirley began to scream more loudly and Aunt Trudy
walked up and down the floor moaning that it was awful!

"I'll get Hugh!" Rosemary flew to the desk 'phone.

She had heard him say where he meant to make a call and she hoped
desperately that he might be at that house or that she might be able
to leave a message for him if he had not yet arrived