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led children。 His spectacular successes had made his fame world…wide。 He never modified his manner； and even the children he dealt with got the same rough treatment as their elders。 But； somehow； children seldom seemed to fear him。 Lucy had often wondered if childish instinct were not a better barometer than adult reasoning。
But it was the influence of Old Bones that really decided Lucy's future。 When she had seen at first hand what orthopedic surgery could acplish； she had wanted to share the acplishment herself。 She had stayed at Montreal General as a three…year intern； assisting Old Bones whenever it was possible。 She had copied everything from him except his manner。 Even toward Lucy that had never changed； though near the end of her senior internship she took pride in the fact that he had shouted at her a good deal less than at other people。
Since then； in the time she had been in practice； Lucy had had successes of her own。 And in Burlington her referrals from other physicians nowadays made her one of the busiest people on Three Counties' staff。 She had gone back to Montreal only once…on an occasion two years earlier； to attend Old Bones' funeral。 People said it was one of the biggest funerals of a medical man the city had ever seen。 Practically everyone the old man had ever insulted had been present in the church。
Her mind switched back to the present。 The biopsy was almost plete。 At a nod from Lucy the intern had gone on to sew up the skin； again using interrupted sutures。 Now he was putting in the final one。 Lucy glanced at the wall clock above her。 The whole procedure had taken half an hour。 It was 3 P。M。
At seven minutes to five a sixteen…year…old hospital messenger sashayed； whistling； hips swaying； into the serology lab。 Usually he came in this way because he knew it infuriated Bannister； with whom he maintained a state of perpetual running warfare。 As usual； the senior lab technician looked up and snarled at him。 〃I'm telling you for the last time to stop making that infernal racket every time you e in here。〃
〃I'm glad it's the last time。〃 The youth was unperturbed。 〃Tell you the truth； all that plainin' o' yours was get'n on my nerves a bit。〃 He went on whistling and held up the tray of blood samples he had collected from the outpatients' lab。 〃Where you want this blood； Mr。 Dracula？〃
John Alexander grinned。 Bannister； however； was not amused。 〃You know where it goes； wise guy。〃 He indicated a space on one of the lab benches。 〃Put it over there。〃
〃Yessir； captain； sir。〃 Elaborately the youth put down the tray and gave a mock salute。 Then he essayed a pelvic gyration and moved toward the door singing：
〃Oh； give me a home where the viruses roam；
Where the bugs and the microbes all play；
When often is heard an old bloodsucker's word；
And the test tubes stand stinkin' all day。〃
The door swung closed and his voice faded down the corridor。
Alexander laughed。 Bannister said； 〃Don't laugh at him。 It just makes him worse。〃 He crossed to the bench and picked up the blood specimens； glancing casually at the work sheet with them。 Halfway across the lab he stopped。
〃Hey； there's a blood sample here from a Mrs。 Alexander。 Is that your wife？〃
Alexander put down the pipette he had been using and moved across。 〃It probably is。 Dr。 Dornberger sent her in for a sensitivity test。〃 He took the work sheet and looked down it。 〃Yes； it's Elizabeth all right。〃
〃It says typing and sensitivity both；〃 Bannister said。
〃I expect Dr。 Dornberger wanted to be sure。 Actually Elizabeth is Rh negative。〃 As an afterthought he added； 〃I'm Rh positive。〃
Expansively； and with a fatherly air of great knowledge； Bannister said； 〃Oh well； most of the time that doesn't cause any trouble。〃
〃Yes； I know。 All the same； you like to be sure。〃
〃Well； here's the specimen。〃 Bannister picked out the test tube labeled 〃Alexander； Mrs。 E。〃 and held it up。 〃Do you want to do the test yourself？〃
〃Yes； I would。 If you don't mind。〃
Bannister never objected to someone else doing work which might otherwise fall to himself。 He said； 〃It's all right with me。〃 Then； glancing at the clock； he added； 〃You can't do it tonight though。 It's quitting time。〃 He replaced the test tube and handed the tray to Alexander。 〃Better put this lot away until the morning。〃
Alexander took the blood samples and put them in the lab refrigerator。 Then； closing the refrigerator door； he paused thoughtfully。
〃Carl； there's something I've been meaning to ask you。〃
Bannister was busily clearing up。 He always liked to leave right on the dot of five。 Without turning his head he asked； 〃What is it？〃
〃The blood…sensitization tests we're doing here…I've been wondering about them。〃
〃Wondering what？〃
Alexander chose his words carefully。 Right from the beginning； because of his own college training； he had realized the possibility of arousing resentment in people like Bannister。 He tried now； as he had before； to avoid giving offense。 〃I noticed we're only doing two sensitization tests…one in saline； the other in high protein。〃
〃So？〃
〃Well；〃 Alexander said diffidently； 〃isn't just doing the two tests alone 。 。 。 a bit out of date？〃
Bannister had finished clearing up。 He came around the center table； wiping his hands on a paper towel。 He said sharply； 〃Suppose you tell me why。〃
Alexander ignored the sharpness。 This was important。 He said； 〃Most labs nowadays are doing a third test…an indirect Coombs…after the test in saline。〃
〃A 'what' test？〃
〃An indirect Coombs。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃Are you kidding？〃 The moment the words were out Alexander knew he had made a tactical mistake。 But he had spoken impulsively； reasoning that no serology technician could fail to know of an indirect Coombs test。
The senior technician bridled。 〃You don't have to get smart。〃
Hastily trying to repair the damage； Alexander replied； 〃I'm sorry； Carl。 I didn't mean it to sound like that。〃
Bannister crumpled the paper towel and threw it into a waste bin。 〃Well； that's the way it did sound。〃 He leaned forward aggressively； his bald head reflecting a light bulb above。 〃Look； fella； I'll tell you something for your own good。 You're fresh out of school； and one thing you haven't found out is that some things they teach you there just don't work out in practice。〃
〃This isn't just theory； Carl。〃 Alexander was in earnest now； his blunder of a moment ago seeming unimportant。 〃It's been proven that some antibodies in the blood of pregnant women can't be detected either in a saline solution or high protein。〃
〃And how often does it happen？〃 Bannister put the question smugly； as if knowing the answer in advance。
〃Very seldom。〃
〃Well； there you are。〃
〃But it's enough to make the third test important。〃 John Alexander was insistent； trying to penetrate Bannister's unwillingness to know。 〃Actually it's very simple。 After you've finished the saline test you take the same test tube〃
Bannister cut him off。 〃Save the lecture for some other time。〃 Slipping off his lab coat； he reached for the jacket of his suit behind the door。
Knowing it to be a losing argument； Alexander still went on。 〃It isn't much more work。 I'd be