The Rough Rider Page 5

  “Oh, you know Gail, of course.”

  “Yes, she’s been staying with me in my room since she came to the mission. She’s a precious girl, and I can’t see any future for her if she goes back home.”

  “No, it’s a terrible situation, and she’s worried about her brother, too.”

  “Yes, I know. We’re praying about that. In the meantime, I wanted to talk to you about this program for nursing assistants. I don’t quite understand it. What would it mean exactly?”

  Burns blinked his eyes with surprise at the girl’s interest. Walking behind his desk he took a seat and began to explain the program. When he’d finished, he shrugged and said, “It’s not the best thing in the world, but doctors need help. It takes a long time to train a nurse, but this short-term program would adequately prepare a woman to do most things. Then, later on, they can go on and continue their education and become full-fledged nurses.”

  “And you think Gail would be able to do this?”

  “Oh, I’m sure she could—it’s just a matter of finances.”

  Deborah Laurent was silent for a moment. There was an unusual quietness about this woman. She was not beautiful, yet there was a winsomeness about her. She had a trim figure, Burns noticed, and was not like some of the women that sometimes drifted into the Water Street Mission. Somehow, there was a reticence in her that he felt was habitual. She was evidently a young woman who thought deeply and slowly, and he waited until she spoke.

  “I would like to pay Gail’s expenses for this program—and I would like to join it myself, if that is possible, Dr. Burns.”

  “Why . . . of course,” Burns stammered. He was taken aback at the ease with which Miss Laurent had made the generous offer. “I’m sure the hospital would be most fortunate to receive both of you into the program. Are you certain this is what you want to do?” He wanted to inquire about her finances, but something about the young woman’s bearing made him know instinctively that to question her on this point would not be right.

  “Yes, I’m sure. And I would request that you promise not to reveal to Gail the source of this gift, please.”

  “Of course, Miss Laurent,” said Burns, amazed at this young woman sitting across from him.

  “When will the program begin?”

  “Why, it can begin at once. The new classes started a week ago, but I’m sure you and Gail could catch up easily.”

  “Would you like to tell Gail about this or should I do it?”

  “Well, as a matter of fact, I’d like to talk to her myself. If you could wait for a few moments, I think I could arrange to go with you.”

  It took a little doing, mostly explaining to Nurse Smith that he was not running away with the young woman. “We’ll get two assistant nurses out of this. Don’t worry, Agnes—you know Gail, and this one seems to be even more mature.”

  Dr. Burns hailed a cabbie, and after helping Deborah Laurent up, the two of them made their way to the Water Street Mission. Awful Gardner was standing in front of the mission when the driver of the cab reined the horses to a stop. He had a twinkle in his eyes when he saw who the occupants were that stepped down. Dr. Burns and Deborah greeted him and quickly told him that Gail was going to be able to join her in the nurses’ program at Baxter.

  “Well, the good Lord has answered our prayers, then,” smiled Gardner as he sent them off to the backyard where they found Gail washing clothes. She turned to them and her eyes widened with surprise.

  “We have good news for you, Gail!” Burns turned to Deborah and said, “You have a real friend here in Miss Laurent.”

  “What is it?” Gail asked quickly.

  “We’ve been looking at a program at the hospital—the assistant nurse program—are you familiar with it?”

  Gail had heard of it, but had not felt the slightest chance of taking part. She knew it was expensive and far beyond her hopes, so it never entered her head. “I don’t have any money!” she protested. “I can’t do it!”

  “That’s all taken care of. The two of you will be going into it together.”

  “Won’t that be fun?” Deborah said to Gail. She went over to the younger girl and put her arm around her. “We’ll be working together and living together in the dormitory at the hospital. Will you do it?”

  Gail looked at the young woman steadily and could not speak. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears, and all she could do was nod silently.

  Burns saw the girl’s emotion and said gruffly, “Well, well, I’ll be your boss now, so you must expect hard treatment. I’m a hard man to get along with. Everybody says that.”

  Deborah Laurent turned and a small smile touched her lips. “I can see you’re an ogre, Dr. Burns. But we’ll try to put up with it—won’t we, Gail?”

  Gail brushed the tears from her eyes. Her lips trembled, but then she smiled and whispered, “Yes, we’ll put up with you, Dr. Burns.” She hesitated, then offered him a beautiful smile. “I don’t think that will be too hard!”

  CHAPTER THREE

  A Christmas to Remember

  Several dozen people had gathered in the small reception room of Baxter Hospital. The room was gaily decorated with boughs of evergreens festooned around the walls, and shiny crimson holly berries caught the reflection from the lights. At one end of the room a small tree sparkled with colorful decorations, and at its feet were several ornately wrapped packages. The Christmas season had invaded all of New York—even the rather grim and gloomy halls of Baxter Hospital.

  Dr. Alex Templeton, the administrator of the hospital, looked around with satisfaction. He was standing at a table laden with several varieties of refreshments, including punch, chocolate, lemonade, cakes, and cookies to start off the holiday season. Turning to the young man beside him, Dr. Templeton said, “Well, Burns, we’ll celebrate the end of your second year at Baxter. It was about Christmastime that you came, if I remember correctly.”

  Burns smiled and sipped hot chocolate from the mug in his hand. “Yes, sir, it’s been a very good time for me. I’ve learned a great deal.”

  “Decidedly so—and I must congratulate you. Your service here has been exceptional. I hope you’ll stay with us for a long time.”

  “I have no other plans, Dr. Templeton.”

  Templeton nodded with satisfaction. He was a tall, distinguished-looking man with a full Van Dyke beard and gray hair. He wore a well-cut single-breasted suit with matching waistcoat and trousers. His immaculate white shirt had a winged collar and his cravat was neatly tied. “Now, then,” he said, “I suppose we’ll have to honor these dedicated young ladies.”

  “Yes, sir,” Burns nodded. “I think they deserve it. They’ve all done a fine job.”

  “Exactly so.” Templeton sat down, and his voice, a piercing tenor, rose above the hubbub of conversation. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he cried, “may I have your attention, please!” He waited for it to quiet down and then smiled. He was a man who loved his theater, having told more than one that he would have done well had he not chosen to pursue medicine. “We’re here tonight to celebrate the Christmas season, of course, and as head of Baxter Hospital and on behalf of the Board of Trustees, I wish you all a most happy holiday season, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to come!” He waited for the returning answer and then said, “If you young ladies will come forward—it will be my distinguished privilege to present you with your certificates.”

  At once, the crowd began shifting itself and nine women, ranging all the way from Gail—who was the youngest at eighteen, to Mary Huggins, who was the oldest at thirty-two—came to stand in an irregular line before the administrator. Dr. Templeton beamed at them and launched into his speech. With an excited and captive audience, he could no more give a short speech than he could leap over Baxter Hospital, for he was a man who loved the sound of his own voice. Gail, standing next to Deborah, covered her smile and leaned to one side, nudging Deborah, so that the two of them laughed inwardly at the loquacious physician as his words rolled on and on in a sort of li
nguistic Niagara. Finally, however, it came to an end.

  “And so, it is my privilege to confer upon you these certificates which state that you have satisfied all the necessary requirements and hereby have been certified by Baxter Hospital and the Board of Trustees to serve as assistants to nurses and physicians. Your training has been hard and arduous, but you have been faithful to carry out your duties. So, as I call out your name, please step forward. Helen Abraham . . . Susan Blakely . . . Miriam Helfinger . . .”

  Gail was the last to be called, and as she stepped forward she felt a thrill of accomplishment beat in her heart, for she had thrown herself into the course with all her strength. She had been accustomed to hard work, but the past nine months had been especially difficult. Unknown to her employer, she had done extra work to make a little money. This small amount had gone to her mother, who had secretly managed to pay for a few luxuries for herself and especially for Gail’s brother, Jeb. As Gail reached out and took the certificate with her left hand and shook the firm hand of Dr. Templeton, a sense of triumph swelled through her. At last, she had done something right!

  Dr. Templeton beamed at the young ladies, saying, “Now, let’s have a hearty round of applause for these fine additions to the medical profession!”

  The room broke out in applause, and Dr. Burns quickly stepped forward to congratulate Gail. He took her hand in both of his and gently squeezed it. His long, Scottish face was beaming with unchecked pleasure as he said, “Congratulations, Gail! I’m so proud of you, I could burst!”

  “I couldn’t have done it if it weren’t for you,” she whispered.

  “Oh, that’s nonsense—you did it all yourself! Come, let’s go congratulate Deborah and the others.”

  There was a flurry of talk as the ladies were congratulated by the visitors, who were mostly relatives and the staff. Agnes Smith came to tower over Deborah, saying rather sternly, “Well, you did make it after all!”

  Deborah was amused by the large woman. “Yes, Mrs. Smith—I did!”

  “Now see to it that you don’t forget what you were taught.” Agnes was actually pleased about the two girls—who had been her pets—although she’d never shown the slightest favoritism. She glanced over at Dr. Burns, who was grinning broadly. “I suppose you take all the credit for their success. Men usually do things like that.”

  “Why certainly, Agnes.” Burns winked at the two girls, his face averted from the large woman. “We men are a terrible lot, but I must say that I’m very proud of our young ladies.”

  At that moment, Dr. Templeton came forward and joined their little circle. “I’m glad to find you together, Miss Summers and Miss Laurent. I have a surprise for you both.” He put his hands behind his back, swayed forward, rolling on his toes and back on his heels, and turned his head to one side. It was an affectation that he often used when pontificating, and Burns knew that something was about to be announced in his usual grandiose manner. Looking at the four of them, he nodded to Agnes Smith and said, “Mrs. Smith already knows the secret that neither you two ladies, nor you, Dr. Burns, know yet.”

  “What is it?” Burns asked curiously.

  “I have decided—and Mrs. Smith concurs with my decision—to offer these two ladies permanent positions with Baxter Hospital.”

  Gail was astonished, her hand going quickly to her mouth. She blinked her eyes twice, then cried, “Oh, that’s wonderful, Dr. Templeton! I’m so grateful to you. I’ll do the very best I can!”

  Deborah, at once, nodded. She was much quieter, but there was a smile on her lips. “Yes, it is an honor, Doctor. We will both try to hold the standards high.”

  As soon as Dr. Templeton was satisfied with the outcome of his news, he turned and left. Dr. Burns turned to the three and said, “Well, it’s time for a celebration—all on me! Come on, Agnes, I’m buying lunch.”

  Agnes was surprised at the invitation, for she did not receive many, and nodded in agreement at once.

  Gail and Deborah hurried to get their coats, and the four of them left the hospital. Dr. Burns led them down the street to a respectable restaurant, the Deluxe, where he sometimes ate. He ushered his three guests inside, and when the head waiter came over, he requested a good table, saying loudly, “We have two new medical assistants here who deserve the very best!”

  “Oh, Doctor, you shouldn’t say that,” Gail whispered as he led her to the table.

  “Nonsense!” he said airily, waving his hand around. “I believe in tooting the horn when it’s deserved.” He seated the three women personally, then took a seat. When the waiter came, the doctor asked, “What’s the specialty of the hoose? Never mind, we’ll have it! Bring four orders of it.”

  Gail sat there thoroughly enjoying the time. She had eaten out on occasion at a couple of inexpensive restaurants, but the Deluxe was fancier than anything she’d ever seen.

  The decor of the restaurant was done in rich wood that was cast in a golden tone from the lights that burned about the dining room. Each table was covered with a crisp white tablecloth and more silverware than Gail had ever seen. She felt honored to have been invited to such an establishment, and even more so with friends who had stood by her and helped her turn her situation around for the better. She smiled to herself at her good fortune, and looked up to see the waiter returning with their meal. The specialty turned out to be steak, baked potatoes, and vegetables.

  Burns talked rapidly and Deborah smiled warmly at him, saying, “I didn’t know you were such a host, Dr. Burns. You’ve been hiding your true talents.”

  “Well, this is a celebration and a victory,” he smiled. “I propose a toast to Miss Deborah Laurent and Miss Gail Summers—the latest and brightest lights in the medical field.”

  “Hear! Hear!” Agnes said unexpectedly, adding her own words. “If all of my girls were as dedicated as these two, I wouldn’t have all of my gray hairs.”

  As they enjoyed their meal, Dr. Burns happened to mention the gold strike in the Klondike, which was appearing in the headlines of every newspaper across the country. It caught the interest of Deborah at once, who always seemed to be knowledgeable of everything that was happening. She was an avid reader of newspapers and magazines. She spoke up and said, “I think the whole country’s gone mad, or so it seems, over gold. I recently read that the streetcars in Seattle had to stop running because of the thousands of gold seekers who’ve come there filling the streets.”

  “That’s right—I read the article. Men are acting like fools! Some of them have sold their businesses and bought passage to Alaska, leaving everything they had behind.”

  “Strange, isn’t it—the power that gold holds over people! It makes men do crazy things—women too, I suppose.”

  “Well, I don’t know,” Gail said slowly. She was looking very pretty, having saved up as much money as she could to buy a new dress for the special day that ended her term. She’d actually managed to buy a dress that had been damaged, which she had mended with the help of her mother, but it looked splendid on her. It had a white collar and puffed sleeves with blue lace. The dress, itself, was a pale blue that fell to the floor. The hem was also laced with blue ribbon. Her hair was pressed flat to her head and she wore a hat, the first she had ever owned.

  She toyed with her glass and said, “I can understand a little, I think. Life gets so boring and hard for some people. You can understand why they run off to look for gold.”

  Dr. Burns stared at her thoughtfully. He knew more now about her difficult childhood and nodded slowly. “I believe you’re right,” he said. “Only it’s not just poor people, but wealthy men selling everything and going.” He shook his head. “Money and gold are just a disease. Most of them will come back broke.”

  “Or get eaten by a polar bear! They ought to just stay home and work.”

  The doctor laughed and said, “Well, I guess I’m ready for dessert.” He signaled for the waiter, who brought out four plates of apple pie, each with a large dollop of ice cream on top. Agnes tried to prote
st, saying she was satisfied, but when the others told her to help them spend the good doctor’s money, she chuckled and joined them heartily.

  “I’ve been reading a lot about what is happening in Cuba,” Deborah said. “It looks like there could be serious trouble down there.”

  “I don’t know much about that,” Burns said. “What’s happening?”

  “Oh, the Spaniards have been persecuting the Cuban people. They sent out a general, named Weyler—Butcher Weyler—and he slaughtered the poor Cubans by the thousands. It’s awful! Look at this!” She fumbled through her reticule and pulled out a picture.

  The three leaned forward to look at it and passed it around. It was a line drawing of a beautiful young girl standing naked and helpless as rugged Spanish soldiers pawed through her clothing.

  “Why—this is awful!” Gail cried. She handed the picture back to Deborah.

  Deborah shrugged and replaced the picture. “Well, it’s just some artist’s concept, and it’s from Mr. Hearst’s paper. He always makes the worst of everything.”

  “Now, no more talk of wars and gold in the Klondike! Let’s have another toast for our newest additions.”

  They held up their glasses once more and Dr. Burns said solemnly, “To the courage of those who follow their stars and become what God has intended them to become.” The seriousness of his face and the solemn timbre of his voice affected all three women.

  “You really believe that, don’t you, Dr. Burns?” Deborah said quietly. There was a strange look on her face and she was tremendously sober. “I hope you always do!” She sipped her water after making this dramatic statement and then rose, saying, “Dr. Burns, this was most kind of you. Thank you, but I must go, if you’ll excuse me.” She hesitated, then said, “I’m leaving town for a few days and I need to get packed.”

  Agnes rose as well and said, “I’ll go with you, Deborah. I have things to do.”

  Burns stood to his feet and helped the two women put on their coats. When they had left, he sat down again, a thoughtful look on his face. “Gail, where is Deborah going?” he asked.