Page 52 (1/1)

Cardigan scohen he volunteered this infor such a silly precaution But he would give the guard rubber-soled shoes and insist that he rinned exultantly when he was gone

He waited until his watch told hian the exercise which he had prescribed for himself Noiselessly he rolled out of bed There was no sensation of dizziness when he stood on his feet this ti by inhaling deeper and still deeper breaths and by straightening his chest

There was no pain, as he had expected there would be He felt like crying out in his joy One after the other he stretched up his arers touched the floor He crooked his knees, leaned froed froth and elasticity of his body Twenty times, before he returned to his bed, he walked back and forth across his roo with his back to the pillows he looked out into the starlight, watching for the first glow of the ain to the owls that had nested in the lightning-shriven tree An hour later he resuh hishe heard the sound of approaching voices and then of running feet Aat a door, and a loud voice shouted for Doctor Cardigan Kent drew cautiously nearer theThe , slowly, as if weighted under a burden Before they turned out of his vision, heso of a door, other voices, and after that an interval of quiet

He returned to his bed, wondering who the new patient could be

He was breathing easier after his exertion The fact that he was feeling keenly alive, and that the thickening in his chest was disappearing, flushed him with elation An unbounded optimism possessed him It was late when he fell asleep, and he slept late It was Mercer's entrance into his room that roused him He came in softly, closed the door softly, yet Kent heard him The moment he pulled himself up, he knew that Mercer had a report tohad happened to him Mercer was a bit excited