Show IH baj II 11 I 1 IL II 11 I 1 kathleen norris 0 KATHLEEN SERVICE CHAPTER XIII continued 13 the ambulance rumbled along slowly Sh eilas thoughts wove back and forth drel dreamily mily now that the first horror was over she felt oddly weary veary and weak her shoulder hurt her and her head ached dully she was all right she told herself no harm had been done but oh how good it would be to get home to mother to be away from the crowd and the voices and the questions question sl she need never see the pantry at the again never take orders from mr benny in a few hours more she would be safe in the beloved home kitchen talking to me ma watching angelas round eyes pop out of her head with excitement cit ement she would be drinking a cup of tea the way she liked it reaching to the stove for her toast it getting dark early frank said suddenly rousing from the stupor into which he occasionally seemed to lapse its nearly five frank sheila said fivel yes I 1 just saw a clock these things take time you knowl know the nurse observed soothingly sheila sick and as she was thought that she must remember that to tell joe the poor pilot she mused one minute floating over the gray white panorama of beach and wintry world and the next minute just that still form that trampled depression in the snow ive been in a terrible accident she thought and then wearily but what I 1 been through in the last few weeks does it feel good to be back in new york sheila frank said opening his eyes oh does it I 1 was just thinking my heart is pumping so I 1 can hardly breathe they were in the city streets the ambulance bell was ringing steadily now and sheila could see the sidewalk crowds eyeing them interestedly as they went through 1 I had them telephone mother id hurt my arm and to have doctor underwood at the house frank said went well not much more of this eh well be comfortable in no time now sheila when on earth could you phone your mother 1 I had the police sergeant do it asked him to telephone just to say that been a smash and that we were all right and on our way in in I 1 told him to say that mother was to use her own judgment about getting in touch with your mother mas probably got the fire department part ment out sheila exclaimed aghast well the poor fellow was killed sheila and you cant avoid a certain amount of interest in that to be in an airplane smash sheila murmured struck afresh with the strangeness and horror of it 1 I took my training at bellevue the nurse said as they stopped at a broadway artery and my first case was a fellow that had come down in a plane she was diverted for goodness sakes look at the evening pa papers persi she exclaimed and glancing eagerly out at a corner newsboy she read a headline mystery girl in plane crashaw crash for a minute the words meant nothing to sheila then her heart gave a great spring in the remaining few seconds that they waited at the corner comer she leaned forward and saw the front sheet of the paper the hurried blurred photographs of the group in the park the planes great fallen wings the lifted form of the dead man the crash all right miss sutter said it take long to get things into the papers nowadays does it but where do they get that mystery girl stuff you and she glanced at frank and then at sheila youre his wife arent you she asked oh no mr me cann was just bringing me home sheila said with a a queer affronted little laugh oh I 1 see the nurse said in a peculiar tone with a quick glance mr mccann me cann sheila explained in a low tone with a wary look at his closed eyelids and unconscious face is engaged to be married to a miss bernadette kennedy of ipuy ten duyvil duyvis the nurses young bright eyes were sympathetic you two were trying to get away with something hey she guessed shrewdly smiling 1 I dont mean anything wrong just she paused for heavens sake she said 1 I wish I 1 was dead sheila said simply frank muttered incoherently hell be all right when he gets his arm set miss sutter said in a whisper hes dazed with shock that worrying me sheila answered dully aits its wh at my mot mother herll think and what his people will think but my good gracious it your fault if youre in an accident accidental the other girl said quickly no of course not sheila ad bitted uneasily but but it just seems as if everything had gone crazym crazy she lamented frank opened his eyes dont worry sheila he said ir in a deep reassuring voice that still stil had traces of stupor in it ill take tak cars care of you were wera all righta the car turned a corner they were at the me cann house oh god protect LISP us sheila said in a whisper it was a prayer oh frank she said look theres a million people wai waiting 1 not a million but a crowd that framed both sides of the brownstone steps a crowd that demanded the constant attention of two policemen men were pressing forward women were planted in solid lines all turned their eyes eagerly to the ambulance as it drew up frank I 1 cant go in im going on home sheila stammered aghast 1 I cant a camera there he had pulled himself together he gripped her hand no he said youve got to go I 1 through with it your mother may be here come on just walk through the crowd buzzed excitedly as sheila and a policeman between them supported the limping man across the sidewalk narrow escape mr me cann one of the policemen said respectfully ill tell the world 1 frank answered with a groan and a smile the crowd laughed in shocked sympathy sheila looked up the door of the me cann house opened a flood of persons poured out servants family and the gray headed stout man that she was afterward to identify as the family doctor and with them was joe carscadden joel and while sheila was stumbling upward to the lighted wide hallway half dragging frank with her and half dragged herself she saw her mother majestic in her best dress then they were an all crying and milling about madly in the hall sheila saw mrs me cann with her face white and tearstained tear stained and she saw the judge looking somehow old and broken she caught at his hand judge im so sorry she faltered judge me cann brought his distracted gaze to her face now now sheila he said gently accidents will happen hap peril and he returned immediately to the business of the moment put your arm around him there leo all right mary hurting you son 4 its my arm look out for my arm frank muttered and the mothers moan was distinguishable above the other moans that suddenly filled the hall my darling my son well get you right upstairs frank well fix you up in five minutes the doctor said brothers sisters servants parents they surged about him his voice voice rang out suddenly as he was being tenderly lifted upstairs Is sheila there right here son said his father sheila I 1 must see you before you go anything dearr anything judge me cann said faltering and sheila heard franks effort at a laugh im not dying pop I 1 want doc 1 underwood to look at her all ashes done something to her shoulder they were all straggling upstairs they eddied into a big front bedroom where mamie was turning 9 down the covers of an immense old fashioned walnut bed broke him completely complete lyl sheila heard her mother say in a whisper and mrs me cann sai said d weeping oh mrs carscadden how they break your heart on you the children frank gave another groan as they lowered him against the pillows poor dearl dear his mother bending over him said tenderly she began to pray in a low voice mother im all right arid and the doc has a lot of dope for me haven it you y ou doc im going to fix you up ri right here in the dressing room frank the old doctor said doctor russell is on his way from the hospital now when he gets here well give you a shot put you to sleep doctor do you think there may be internal injuries the frantic mother again asked frank answered internal injuries mother forget it im fine give you a scare pop good bodill god we came down frank observed briefly it was in the paper frank the way pop saw it in the paper the late afternoon edition with pictures pic tures dear they dont lose much time lord I 1 im m sorry frank muttered ouch sheila exclaimed on a wearied and desolate echo of a sob the old doctor gently exploring her shoulder apologized sympathetically go aisy on her mrs carscadden warned him sheila completely disarmed by the concern in the beloved voice began to cry bitterly as she slipped her bare bruised shoulder back into her dress and straightened the tumbled ruffle of white at her neck you had a narrow escape my dearl dear the doctor said gravely dont lave me again mrs carscadden said in a whisper sheila clung to her their wet faces touching her mothers arms about her CHAPTER XIV frank moved his own shoulder restlessly groaned you know the damn thing he began mildly he put his uninjured hand on his mothers bowed head howd you hear of it mother he asked oh frank that was so god grant we never have that to go through again I 1 pop saw it in the paper but I 1 got it over the telephone it was the police dear from newark the man said mr me cann has been slightly injured injure dl 1 I 1 thought of course it was pop that must have been hot hall it any better when I 1 learned the truth dear mamie had to take the phone I 1 got faint they fixed me up on the sofa and they tried to reach papa but they find him im so corryl sorry frank said heavily the look that was almost coma had come into his eyes aga again in there were fewer persons in the room now the younger brothers and sisters were being firmly ejected one by one by a powerful big black headed woman who was being cajoled by them under the name of diddy they were imploring diddy to allow them to remain and diddy was sternly refusing mamie and two younger young er maids were running back and forth fort h in and out of a large adjoining dressing room with sheets tables electric I 1 4 aa i A alother Iother A im all right light extensions someone had lighted a fire someone else had drawn shades someone was standing now w with ith a tray and a steaming cup beside the bed somebody else had ice in a bowl bow and was murmuring about comprises an elderly woman majestic and assured of demeanor and identified as gramma had established herself in a great wing chair near enough to the bed for a clear view of all proceedings judge me cann stood at the foot his graying black curly hair rumpled his hig face grave and pale his eyes for his son only there were others beside sheila and her mother the big luxurious room was full of movement the doctor having finished a quick examination of her shoulder drew sheila toward the bed no harm done here frank she wrenched her shoulder and scratched one side of her face not broken frank asked eagerly nothing broken were going now sheila beside the bed said timidly 1 I hope they wont hurt you frank his eyes were beginning to burn brightly with fever he caught at her hand she looked shabby tired sick there were great rings about her eyes her lashes were stuck together in long points her hat had been lost in the crash and her soft coppery hair was uncovered in the evening lamplight lamp light frank remembered that she had not wanted to fly home she had said she was afraid of it and he had made her do iti ill remorse surged in his heart there was something about this poor little luckless thing that had appealed to him in the very beginning of their acquaintance it was stronger than ever now im glad if anything had to happen it happened to met me tie km said it was my fault mom you blame this child ashes been lie he tried to smile but he was weak and in pain the tears came instead ashes been wonderful he said down in atlantic city all this time I 1 knew it her own mother know it ashes such a scary little thing pop she want to come home to face you all I 1 talked her into it he looked up at her through misty eyes managing a sickly smile we know our adventure was going to end like this did we sheila he said we wont say that judge me cann said when she heard his voice sheilah Sh cilas eilas heart sank within her for it sounded as if frank might be dying frank might be dying god knows me broke wit the trouble me an mine have brought on ye sirl sir Sh eilas mother was saying as they all went out into the hall but I 1 know her there a bad bone in her bodyl mrs carscadden mrs me cann said in a whisper her face was ghastly we knew nothing ot of this she began again my son frank has always been weve depended on himl she finished faintly you break mammal the judge said but he looked broken himself Is he so sick sheila faltered bursting into tears no one paid any attention to her judge me cann always grave and kindly addressed Sh eilas mother mrs carscadden as soon as the boy is out of the woods ill get in touch with you Sh eilas mother appeared not to be listening he said it but I 1 dont behave ill she said in a dull stricken tone nor I 1 either the judge agreed theres some explanation no no no hed never do thail mrs me cann said in her soft eager voice he never they never thought that was anti well well well the judge said well straighten it all out gods ways are not our ways and the young people today are not what wha we used to bet bel indeed youre right about that it said Sh eilas mother they were working their way downstairs sheila and joe and their mother and the senior me canns and various other unidentified persons servants cousins aunts among these sheila had confusedly noticed from the begir beginning ining a pretty black eyed girl in a dark red suit trimmed with black fur and a dark red hat if she had tried to identify this girl at all she might pave have placed her as one of franks younger sisters he had three besides veronica she knew or she might have supposed her to be a concerned pretty cousin but as a matter of fact the group had been so large and so mixed and the babel of voices and the general movement so distracting that sheila although she had distinctly observed this girl had wasted no thought whatever vei upon her identity but now in the lower hall the girl suddenly took the center of the stage by arresting them all with a quick imperative word to the judge judge me cann and mrs me cann too this girl began in a high strung and haughty voice im going understand understand der stand of course that this changes everything oh bernadette my dearl mrs me cann said in a heartbroken tone you must see that the girl said in a quick feverish manner she stood close to mrs me cann her fingers nervously busy with he her lace collar you see that she asked bernadette the judge said dont be too quick to judge him we jump to conclusions in a few days when god willing hell be better no never the girl said with spirit never you heard what he said he never saw me he never spoke to met me it was it was she began to choke flung up her head was silent bernadette dear mrs me cann said her arm about her control yourself I 1 feel as bad as you do it seem possible its frank but lets give the poor child the benefit of the doubt Dou doubt the girl echoed quickly with a scornful laugh you heard what he said bernadette said mrs me C cann ann you know as well as I 1 do that frank me cann is incapable of anything underhand underhand the girl caught up the word again angrily 1 I dont know what you call it engaged to me he was visiting this this girl down there at atlantic city I 1 dont care I 1 dont care whether he was living with her or not she rushed on recklessly and the judge and his wife and Sh eilas mother recoiled from the phrase as if from a blow that make any difference I 1 bernadette kennedy said beginning to sob what difference does that make as long as we know that h knew she was there and was going goin down to see her and her own mother know where she was and even the papers know it look at them why a liel lie sheila said understanding at least a lie frank never telephoned me in his life ohl oh breathed mrs me cann this is terrible 1 I believe anything you said if you |