lvin, another brotherin-law; and Maxine, his wife; the housekeeper, the maid, the cook; the nurse; George Eagan, the chauffeur. Each affected differently by the impending return of Lauretta Trent, they collectively managed to permeate the atmosphere with suppressed excitement.Now that the morning surgery was over and the surgeons had changed to street clothes, there was a lull in the activities at the Phillips Memorial Hospital.The patients who had been through surgery were in the recovery room; the first of them, recovering from the more minor operations, were beginning to trickle through the corridors, eyes closed, faces pale, covered with blankets as they were wheeled to their respective rooms.Dr. Ferris Alton, medium height, slim-waisted despite his fifty-eight years, walked down to the private room of Lauretta Trent.Her face lit up as the doctor opened the swinging door.The nurse looked over her shoulder, and seeing Dr. Alton, moved swiftly to the foot of the bed, where she stood waiting at attention.Dr. Alton smiled at his patient. “You’re better this morning.”“Much, much better,” she said. “Am I to go home today?”“You’re going home,” Dr. Alton said, “but you’re going to have your old nurse, Anna Fritch, back with you. I’ve arranged for her to have the adjoining bedroom. Technically, she’ll be on duty twenty-four hours a day. I want her to keep an eye on you. We shouldn’t have let her go after that last upset. I want her to keep an eye on your heart.”Mrs. Trent nodded.“Now then,” Dr. Alton went on, “I’m going to be frank with you, Lauretta. This is the third gastroenteric upset in eight months. They’re bad enough in themselves, but it’s your heart that I’m concerned about. It won’t stand these dietary indiscretions
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