The First Milestone

There are no rules, born of reason, which cannot yield to reasonable
exceptions, and, although the entrance requirements of the training
school were as exacting as its course, and as strict as its standard, a
standard which had long since made it the peer of any in all America,
some of the purely technical ones were waived upon the request of the
idolized chief junior surgeon on the staff, for Donald went personally
to the Superintendent and explained the case to her, and she agreed to
allow Rose to take a special examination; but she shook her head when he
mentioned the girl's age.

"Of course you know what the requirements are in that respect, doctor,"
she said. "We make exceptions, yes; but, if she enters now, she will be
by far the youngest girl in the school. I think that, before I give you
my decision, I shall have to see and talk with her."

Accordingly, that afternoon he took the rather frightened Smiles to the
Superintendent of nurses, and left them closeted together.

"Dr. MacDonald has told me about you, and your ambition, Miss Webb,"
said the Superintendent kindly. "You have been very courageous; but you
are very young, even younger than I thought. Now I want you to tell me
frankly just what your life has been, so that I may judge as to your
other qualifications, before deciding whether it is wise for you to take
the examinations."