Part 22 (1/2)

Hoill he celebrate it? I would give a lot to knoill pass in his mind For I don't yet understand this importance they attach to such an anniversary One and all, they know the exact hour and minute on which their bit of metal turned them for hoo by the bed; and when I stop I hear, ”In ten minutes it will be a twelvemonth!” and he fixes his eyes on me

What does he want lad or sorry that he got it I can't iine what he thinks of as the minute ticks For I can see by his words that the scene is blurred and no longer brings back any picture ”Did you crawl back or walk?”

”Iwalked” He is hardly sure

I know that for some of theed his whole career From that moment his arm was paralysed, the nerves severed; from that moment football was off, and with it his particular a a picture--a man's ambition is his aed

But he knows all that, he has had time to think of all that What, then, does this particularhim?

They think I know; for when they tellthey take for granted that I too will share so a man should be: he isn't clever But he is so very brave

After his tenth operation two days ago there was a question as to whether he should have his pluggings changed under gas or not The discussion went on between the doctors over his bed

But the anaesthetist couldn't be found

He didn't take any part in the discussion such as saying, ”Yes, I will stand it” but waited with interest showing on his bony face, and when they glanced down at hih now!” he rolled over to undo his safety-pin that I

It was all very fine for the theatre people to fill his shoulder chockful of pluggings while he lay unconscious on the table; they had packed it as you et it out

I did not dare touch his hand with that too-easy compassion which I have noticed here, or whisper to him ”It's nearly over” as the forceps pulled at the stiffened gauze It wasn't nearly over

Six inches deep the gauze stuck, crackling under the pull of the forceps, blood and puss leaping forward from the cavities as the steady hand of the doctor pulled inch after inch of the gauze to the light And when one hole was emptied there was another, five in all

Sorip like iron, your stomach will undo you; sometiust,” you faint There are so many parts of the body to look after, one of the flockthe other by the neck But Waker had his whole being in his hands, without sothem

When we had finished and Sister told me to wipe the sweat on his forehead, I did so reluctantly, as though one were being too exacting in drawing attention to so sn

I must say that the dairyman seems to me quite mad, and I only wonder how little it is noticed He will sit in a chair beside Pal ieneral, pausing at his bed this htened of horses, are you? Then what do you do about the cows?”

He was pleased with his own joke, and the dairy up and down like ss'

wings Such jokesto him; he is where no joke but his oill ever please hi near him, but since it is too much trouble to move he allows it--poor Palmer, who has a piece of metal so hand to his aching head He said to oing to, ”It doesn'this thumb at the dairyman As for the latter, there surely can be no escape, but for Palmer

”They won't take it out; too risky Seen ht in theto risk it, why they shouldn't be”