y.

Peter colored at his unintentional intrusion. "Excuse me," he stammered.
"Not hearing voices, I thought you were alone. I'll come again later, Miss
Maxwell," and he turned toward the door.

Leerie's voice called him back. "Don't go--want you. Something I was
trying to get Miss Max to promise."

This time Miss Maxwell colored. "It's against rules, Leerie, to talk over
hospital matters before patients, even as discreet a one as Mr. Brooks."

"I know--can't help it--need him. Besides, he's his best friend." She
turned to Peter with a strained eagerness. "This will be news to you.
Doctor Dempsy is due here in the morning--taken suddenly--major
operation--nurse just wired. I want you and Miss Max to take him on to the
Dentons if he can stand the trip. Awfully delicate operation, and it's
Doctor John's crack piece of work. Will you do it?"

The unexpectedness of the news and the request overwhelmed Peter's usually
agile intelligence. He stared blankly at the girl before him. "I don't
think I understand. If Dempsy is coming here for an operation, why should
we take him somewhere else? Why shouldn't he be operated on here if he
wants to be?"

"He thinks Doctor Jefferson is still operating. He doesn't know--"

The superintendent of nurses interrupted her. "Leerie, you're overstepping
even your privileges. Doctor Brainard was called here to take charge
because the management had absolute confidence in his skill and knew he
was trustworthy and conscientious. I think there is nothing further that
needs to be said. Doctor Dempsy will do what every other patient has
done, put himself unreservedly into Doctor Brainard's hands."

"But he mustn't." The crimson had died out of Sheila's cheeks, and she
stood now pale to the very lips, her face working convulsively. "You don't
seem to understand, and it's hard--hard to put it into words. Doctor
Brainard is young--very young for his position and all the responsibility
that has been heaped upon him. His work ever since he came has been
terrific--eight and ten majors a day, Sundays, too. It's been a fearful
strain, and now to make him responsible for a case like Doctor Dempsy, a
case that takes great delicacy and nerve, one that is bound to attack his
sympathy and his reputation at the same time, why--why, it isn't fair.
Can't you see that if he should fail, no matter how blameless he might be,
it would stick to him for the rest of his life, a blot on his work and the
San?" Sheila