Dorothy Dale's Camping Days Part 28

CHAPTER XXIII

DOROTHY'S ESCAPE

When Miss Bell returned to Dorothy's room in the sanitarium, after her talk over the telephone, Dorothy saw that her anxiety had reached a state of prostration. She seemed convinced that she had taken to the inst.i.tution the wrong girl, and the dread of disgrace, especially as she was a new nurse in the house, seemed to weigh very heavily upon her. She would come up and look into Dorothy's face, examine the pupils of her eyes, and then go away sighing.

"Are you sorry I am not demented?" asked Dorothy, with as much in her voice as she could command. "Just think what a good time you will have, when we get back to camp."

"I will run away," was the only reply the new nurse would make.

Night came, and the nurse lay down to rest. Dorothy pretended to do the same thing, but she had resolved to get out of that sanitarium, without bringing disgrace on this young woman. But the attempt would be fraught with danger. If she were caught, not only would she be returned to the sanitarium, but she knew there was another ward----

Dorothy did not permit herself to think of this. "I am going to get away before daylight," she said. "Then, when the mother of the missing girl comes and I have gotten away, they will not know whether it was her daughter, or me."

But to get away would mean trouble for the nurse also. She would be blamed for leaving Dorothy unguarded!

"The other attendant comes in at five in the morning," decided Dorothy, "then I must--go!"

It was an awful thought! She could hear the guards pacing up and down the corridors, she had seen the high fence with its iron palings, and as to gates--there were guards all about them.

"The nurse's clothes!" thought Dorothy. "If I could get into Miss Bell's things! They are here--in her suit-case. Then I might walk out!

But I would faint if they spoke to me? No, I would not, I must have courage! I must be brave! In getting out I may save my dear folks more anxiety, and I can save this poor little woman!"

She looked kindly down at the sleeping nurse. The face, even in sleep, was troubled, and the young woman tossed uneasily.

Every hour the clock struck in the outside hall, but Dorothy heard it in her prison room. Her mind was first forming this plan, and then that, until she felt, if she did not get some sleep, she would never be able to carry out any plan at all. Finally, as the steps and voices in the hall grew fainter, Dorothy did fall asleep, but only to wake with a start just as the clock struck five.

A tap sounded at the door. Miss Bell was dressed and waiting. The nurses were going down to breakfast, and as she left Dorothy, with a pleasant word, the other attendant stepped in, picked up a novel, and without noticing Dorothy, any more than if she had been wooden, she sank lazily down in a chair, and started to read.

How could Dorothy get on her disguise now? She sighed heavily, and almost gave up her plan. But not quite, for in desperate straits one clings to the proverbial straw, and now Dorothy was clutching frantically at--anything--at hope.

A man poked his head in at the door.

"h.e.l.lo, Tom!" said the attendant, in no polite voice, "What have you got for me?"

The man winked, and Dorothy turned away. "Can't you leave her?" he whispered.

The woman looked at Dorothy, who pretended to be almost stupid. She had hidden her face in her hands.

"I guess she'll keep," Dorothy heard her say, and with that the nurse stepped out of the door, and Dorothy heard a laugh in the hall. But she did not yet dare to move. In another moment the woman returned. "I have got to go out for a minute," she said; "just take this pill and sleep. You look tired."

Dorothy saw in the woman's hand a slip of yellow paper. Of course it was some message that would violate the rules. And the woman had given her some medicine to make her sleep.

"I am _too_ sleepy now," said Dorothy. "Let me alone."

That was all the attendant wanted. Quickly she went out, and then Dorothy jumped up. It was but a moment's work to open the suit-case, and slip on the plain, white, linen dress. Then for something on her head. Yes! the cap, there it was all ready to be put on for the day's work. The looking gla.s.s reflected a new Dorothy!

She did look like a nurse, and then no one yet knew Miss Bell. But she might be back from breakfast at any moment!

Hurry, Dorothy! Hurry!

One more look! The long dress seemed strange, but not so strange as the agitation that filled her heart and tingled her nerves.

She opened the door, and went out into the hall, just as an attendant was turning out the electrics, for it was daylight.

"Good morning!" said the first guard, sitting in his big chair, while the marble hall seemed like an ocean to Dorothy.

"Good morning!" replied Dorothy lightly.

Then the nurses were leaving breakfast. She could hear the voices. If only she could get out before Miss Bell came!

"Did you see the new girl?" she heard some one say.

"Yes, and she has been called into the office!"

That would give Dorothy time!

More guards--so many there seemed to be now, and each with his "good morning!" But Dorothy had taken courage. She felt better out of that room; it was glorious to be so near freedom.

"Is that the new nurse?" said a big man, who actually stood at the door.

"Looks like her," replied another, with something like a sneer.

"She'd be a lot of good with any one but--babies," said a third. Then he stepped up to Dorothy. She felt as if she would drop down. "Out early," he said, peering into her frightened face.

"Yes, is that time right?" she asked on the spur of the moment, thinking to divert his attention from her face.

He looked up at the big clock. "If it was right--it wouldn't be here,"

he replied with a laugh. "But don't get lost. You are on duty at seven," he went on, "but I guess a sniff of air won't do you any harm.

We all take what we can get in that line."

"Yes," and Dorothy tried to smile. He had not discovered her! But when Miss Bell reached the room----

Oh, if she could only fly--over those big stone walls. But the outside was even more closely guarded than was the inside, especially since two patients had so lately escaped.

Down the steps went the trembling girl. How splendid it was in the fresh morning air!

"And if I can only get a message back to camp," she was thinking.

"What will happen to dear father if I am not soon discovered?"

Over the stone walk she sped. She glanced down the path. The front gate was impossible. Back of the inst.i.tution she saw a great barn--then water! Oh, if she could but pa.s.s the stablemen. They would not be as keen to suspect as would be the guards.

Every one seemed busy. They were cleaning the horses, and fixing up the big stables. Merry morning words floated through the air, and it seemed to Dorothy that her presence, that of a nurse, as they supposed, was always the signal for some joke, or some frivolous remark. But there was no harm in this, she thought. Inside of stone walls everybody must be akin.

"h.e.l.lo, there!" called a rather young man, who in shirt sleeves, was rubbing down a horse. "Where are you going so early?"