Edith caught her breath and choked back a sob that came swiftly to her throat as she stood a few steps within the door and read in a few quick glances that passed from face to face the sorrowful records that pain had written upon them.
"Oh, there's Mrs.Morton!" cried a glad voice, and Edith saw a girl who was sitting up in one of the beds clap her hands joyfully.
"That's the little one I was telling you about," said the lady, and she crossed to the bed, Edith following.

The child reached up her arms and put them about Mrs.Morton's neck, kissing her as she did so.
It took Edith some time to adjust herself to the scene before her.

Mrs.
Morton knew all the children, and had a word of cheer or sympathy for most of them as she passed from bed to bed through the ward.

Gradually the first painful impressions wore off, and Edith felt herself drawn to the little patients, and before five minutes had passed her heart was full of a strong desire to do whatever lay in her power to help and comfort them.

After spending half an hour with the girls, during which time Edith talked and read to a number of them, Mrs.Morton said, "Now let us go into the boys' ward." They crossed the hall together, and entered the room on the other side.
Here, as in the opposite ward, Mrs.Morton was recognized as welcome visitor.