The doctor looked at us disapprovingly. It was as though we were
responsible for what had happened to Ruth.
"I think I can say that physically she'll be all right She's young
and she has a good body. She might mend quite rapidly. It's hard to
say. It will depend on her mental condition. I can't answer for that.
I've seldom seen anyone handled more brutally. I can give you a list.
Dislocated thumb. Broken shoulder. Two cracked ribs. A cracked pelvis.
She was criminally attacked. Two broken toes. We nearly missed those.
She was beaten about the face. That wouldn't have killed her. It was
the shock and exposure that nearly did it, came awfully close to doing
it. She's been treated for shock. She's out of her head. She doesn't
know where she is. We just put her to sleep. I say, I can't estimate
mental damage."