Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

but Dr. Thornton thrust himself in the way. " Stop! " he cried. " I know you want to hit him, Bob, and I'd like to see it. but remember a surgeon needs two good hands." Kennedy turned and stalked out from the room, and half an hour afterwards the operation began. Bob performed it, a young doctor named Donald Fox acted as anaesthetist, and Dr. Thornton assisted. It was a particularly delicate operation, but it was a complete success, and after it was over and the newsboy was back in his bed in Ward G, Dr. Thornton con- gratulated Bob in the ante-room. "That was a fine job," he said warmly. "You can be proud of it, my boy." Bob was washing his hands. Carole was unfastening the old surgeon's linen robe. "Coming from you," said Bob. "that means a lot. I'm a little worried about Norman, though. He's got a legitimate complaint—and you know how Dr. Morton is about ethics." "Yes, I know only too well," confirmed Thornton, "but there's no use in conjec- turing what the Board is going to do about it. Shall we adjourn to the dispensary?" "So long as you let me write my own prescription," laughed Carole. Dr. Thornton's prescription was coffee, and in the dispensary he made it in a glass percolator and served it in beakers. Bob wandered over to the tall cabinet and looked down at the case of instruments in the open drawer. "Say, doctor, these are just like those scalpels I used to-night, aren't they?" he asked. "Yes," said Thornton, walking over with his beaker of coffee. "Yes, they're exactly the same. I had them made up when I was chief surgeon here." "Well, they've certainly been a big help to us young fellows coming along." "They wouldn't be much help to a sm-geon who didn't know how to use them. Bob." Thornton put a hand on a very broad shoulder. "I want you to have those when you're made Dr. Morton's assistant." " Thanks, doctor," said Bob, with a little mirthless laugh, "but that's a safe offer, because I'm not apt to be anybody's assis- tant—after to-night." The door was opened, and into the room shuffled a middle-aged janitor carrying a broom, a whisk, some dusters, and a bucket. His hair was black, and rapidly deserting the front of his head; his nose was reminiscent of an eagle's beak; his dark eyes had a vacant look about them. Dr. Thornton raised a hand. " Not now, Tony," he said loudly. "Yes, sir," said the janitor, closing the door, "a very nice day all day it's been." " No, no, no!" shouted Thornton. " Later! Later! " The janitor understood at last. "Yes, I come back later," he mumbled. " Thank you." He shufiBed out again, and the three drank their coffee. "Poor Tony doesn't get a word you shout at him," remarked Thornton. " He's been stone-deaf for ten years." He put down his beaker and smiled benevolently. "And now I imagine you two won't mind if I leave you alone together." "I'm sure I won't," said Bob. " Don't forget to turn out the lights." "Now?" inquired Carole impishly. "Or when we leave?" " I don't care," laughed the old surgeon, and off he went. In the corridor, on his way to a lift, he encountered Tony Green, who ^vas wait- ing about with his tools. "Now?" asked the janitor eagerly. " Oh, no, definitely not now! " Thornton bellowed at him. Where the corridor opened into a hall . and the stairs and the lifts were situated. Hank Manley came running towards him with a hand over his left cheek. " Doc!" cried the porter agitatedly. "Doc, can you die from nail-polish?" "You mean by drinking it?" Thornton asked gravely. IJtci-nilicr 2iiil, lU:iO. BOY'S CINEMA " No—look ! " _ The hand was removed from the cheek and three long scratches were exposed to view. ' " Why. how did that happen? " "All I said," blurted Hank, "was that she had a beautiful esophagus." " Oh, well, of course no girl would stand for that," chuckled Dr. Thornton. " What do you know about Dora's gullet?" "Gullet?" echoed Hank in dismay. "But look, doc, esophagus—I thought it was the throat. Say, I'm making an awful lot of mistakes around here." In the dispensary, naturally enough. Bob and Carole hugged one another. "Why. you're beginning to look quite happy at last," teased Carole. "I probably won't look a bit happy to- morrow," growled Bob, "after the Board has heard about that operation to-night." "They'll hear plenty, too," she sighed. "Bob, does it really mean so much to you —that assistantship? " "Yes, it does," he returned emphati- cally. "You see—well, my folks aren't rich. They're just a couple of swell people who run a general store in a little town. They wanted me to be a doctor, and they've waited ten years for me to make good. They've given up plenty while they were waiting." "I'm quite sure they didn't consider it a sacrifice." "No," he agreed, "they probably didn't. But that's one of the reasons I've been so anxious to get this assistantship—just to show them their faith wasn't mis- placed. As for the other reason, why, you know what the extra income would mean for us?" "Sure, I know," said she with a kiss. "A wedding-ring on the instalment plan, a two-room apartment, piles of dirty dishes, and long hours of waiting for you to come home. But it'd be worth it! " "Yeah." He was very much afraid there would be no extra income, and de- pression had him in its grip again. " Come on. let's get out of here! " "Say, aren't you even going to kiss me good-night?" she pouted. " Why, sure I am! " He took her back into his arms and kissed her fondly. " But don't forget that you talked me into it! " ACID! LILA HAINES was at a filing cabinet in Dr. Finley Morton's office next morning when the senior surgeon stepped briskly in at the door. Dr. Norman Ken- nedy was half-sitting on one end of the desk and smoking a cigarette. "Good-morning, Lila," said Morton. " Give me the Van Royden chart." Lila went to another cabinet. " Good-morning," said Kennedy. "Put out that cigarette," snapped his uncle. "You know I don't approve of smoking in the hospital." "So I notice." drawled Kennedy, jab- bing his cigarette into an ashtray already full of cigarette-ends. "What do you want here, anyway?" Norman Kennedy folded his arms. "I came to talk to you about the assis- tantship before the Board Meeting this afternoon." "I told you that it's between you and Clayton. You'll have to stand on your own record." "Well, if it's between Clayton and me, I just turned in a report that " "I wouldn't be too sure," Morton inter- rupted sharply. "I know all about that report. You postponed that operation, last night, becaus'e you were afraid " " Now wait a minute! If you're going to lecture me, you can stop right there. You know the Board will appoint who- ever you recommend." "I'm son-y, Norman, but I can't risk the record and reputation of this hospital by recommending a siugeon I know to be without courage and decision." Norman Kennedy detached himself from the desk in a temper. "You might find out I have both! " It sounded uncommonly like a threat, Every Tuesday and having "uttered it he strode from the room. "Well," S3,id Lila, closing the door that had been left open, " I suppose that means Bob Clayton gets the job?" "Clayton?" Dr. Morton looked round. "No, not necessarily. Last night he flagrantly disregarded hospital orders. He should have called me back for the opera- tion. " Lila made a grimace behind his back as he seated himself at the desk. "And spoiled your meeting?" she asked with sugared malice. "That's beside the point. Bob Clayton is too ambitious. He wants to get too far —too fast." "So did you," she reminded him. "once-! Remember Bob Clayton happens to be Dr. Thornton's pet. And I wouldn't step on Jiis toes too hard if I were you." There was some significance in her re- mark that made him wince, but a knock at the door precluded any rejoinder. " Come in! " he called. It was Bob Clayton who entered. Mor- ton gave him a bare nod of recognition and looked up at the nurse. "Will you get the report that Norman brought in, please? " "Yes, sir." She sped from the room, and Bob was left standing beside the desk like some servant awaiting the will of his master. * "You wanted to see me. Dr. Morton?" he asked stiffly at last. "Yes." Dr. Morton dropped the chart of the wealthy patient upon whom he was to operate that morning. " Yes, I did. " Lila Haines returned with the report Kennedy had made to the Board and laid it beside him, and he slewed round in his chair. "Last night," he said severely, "you violated the rules of this hospital. You operated on another doctor's patient with- out that doctor's permission." " Yes, sir," confirmed Bob. " I did." "You're a good surgeon. Clayton, and I know how anxious you are to be made my assistant, but you've tied my hands by your action. There is no way I can keep the Board from seeing this report about your disregard of the rules last night." " I understand that," said Bob, " but you see, last night I tried to save a patient's . life—and that should certainly be the first rule for any surgeon." " Unfortunately, it's not! " "Now look. Dr. Morton." protested Bob with rising indignation, "last night I did what I tliought was right. If you're try- ing to use that as an excuse to make your nephew your assistant, go ahead! " "I'd choose my words more carefully," warned Morton. "All right, I will—I'll tell you in words of one syllable. You don't need any alibi to stick a knife in 7ny back! " A startled expression spread over Lila's face. Morton bounded to his feet, quivei*- ing with rage. i "Dr. .Clayton," he thundered, "you're forcing me' to lose whatever respect I might have had for you! Now my report to the Board will include " " It can include anything you like! " Bob roared at him—and was gone. ,"' The buzzer of a dictograph sounded. Morton was scowling at the door that had just been slammed, his fists clenched, his jaw set in an ugly line. Lila stooped over the dictograph. i "Dr. Morton's office," she said into it. " Oh, thank you! " Slie looked round at the motionless figure of the surgeon. "They're ready for you in the theatre, doctor." Dr. Morton did not seem to hear. She went to him; plucked at his sleeve. -^ "Dr. Morton," she said, "the Van Roy-, den case! They'i'e waiting for you in the theatre! " i- "Eh?" He stared at her. "Oh, yes—i yes, the Van Royden case. Come on, then." : Dora Stanley was at her post behind the curved counter-like desk in the hall on the floor below. Hank, with his back to the desk, Vvas studying an advertisementl i