Page 28 (2/2)

Sara was finishing herrounds when one of the nurses fetched her Sheat the desk

"Sister, hello"

Sister Peg was one of those people who changed any roouess--at least sixty, though it was said that she’d looked exactly the saendary cantankerousness, though Sara knew better; beneath the stern exterior was a woht I have a ith you, Sara?"

Moe As they drew near, Sara could hear the whoops and cries of children; arden gate

"Dr Sara, Dr Sara!"

Sara didn’t round before the children descended They knew her well, but part of their excitement, she understood, was the presence of any visitor She extricated herself with pro into the building

The girl was sitting on the table in the little room Sara used for exams Her eyes flicked up as Sara entered She could have been twelve or thirteen; it was difficult to tell through the layers of filth She earing a grimy burlap frock, knotted over one shoulder; her feet, blackened with dirt and covered with scabs, were bare

"Do said "She hasn’t spoken a word"

The girl had been caught trying to break into an ag storehouse Sara could see why: she looked half-starved

"Hello, I’ intently at Sara froave no reply Her eyes--the only part of her body that had , then back at Sara

"We tried to find out who her parents are," Sister Peg said, "but there’s no record of anybody looking for her"

Sara guessed there wouldn’t be She reoing to listen to your heart--would that be okay?"

No words, yet the girl’s eyes said she could Sara slid the knotted side of the frock from her shoulder She was thin as a reed, but her breasts had just begun to show At the feel of the cold disk on her skin, the girl flinched slightly, but that was all

"Sara, you should look at this"

Sister Peg was staring at the girl’s back It was covered with burns and lashSara had seen it before, but never like this

She looked at the girl "Honey, can you tell me who did this to you?"

"I don’t think she can talk," Sister Peg said