The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27
AS Death Drew Near.

| Frankly. I've strong nerves. Dale. as
you know of old: can bear it, whatever
it is. Is 1.-THE Beyoud?"
| why. no. Inderwick, | trust not: | trust
not But Sir James agrees with me that
| only operation on the brain can save
your reason. perhaps your life"
And you doubt If it will do either?
| Come Dale old fellow, be honest with
>ne. We've known each other since We
/ were boys, and you never knew me to
| funk the risk. whatever it was
My dear Gilbert, the fact is l don't
think there is moresthau about one chance
| in thousand that youll pull through.
| MACPHERSON says the odds are a great
deIi more in your favor; but you know
what Sir James is. You are a ease to
| him. and though I don't doubt that he
honestly thinks he believes what he says
I've still less doubt that the opportunity
of performing such an operation gives AN
unconscious bias TO mis- Judgment"
Il see, said Captain Inderwick: his
optimism Is bred of the opportunity of
demonstrating his skill. Well. suppose we
abandon tho operation, what them
DR.. Dale was silent.
Dale, do you want me to still further
imperil my already threatened existence
! by throwing the sofa pillow at your
Gilbert, old chap, said Dale, THE one
circumstance III your case about which
there is no doubt whatever is that IL the
can possibly save your reason"
And If it is removed 1 have about one
chance In Il thousand of surviving it,
Yes. l may be WRONG and Mac may be
right. but you asked me for my frank and
honest opinion, and I've given II.
Thanks old man. That's what | want
ed. It's n Their hard iines PERHAPS but
and he held out his hand. which the other
man grasped affectlonately and they both
lapSed into silence.
Hard lines? Yes. How old was he?
Thirty three-thirty-four Wen, say be-
tween the two.
Invalided home from the war before it
had well begun, by reason of this con-
founded tumor. or whatever it was, which
had suddenly manifested itself in his
brain. cheated out Of the glory he might
have won during the campaign. ana cheat
ed. too perh0ps OUT Of the great joy OF
his life. his union with Margaret Orme.
which II all went well was to have taken
place in the early~summer. or. at any
rate. as soon as possible after the trouble
in South Africa was over.
And now? What highwaynien these
doctors were: Your reason or your life?'
4 Ana there WAS one chance in a thousand
that he would recover. none whatever
that lie would retain his sanity unless he
took that greater risk.
He had lost his reason once already
and although the sea voyage had helped
him back TO mental health again he knew
wen enough that this respite would not
last
iptlttE De ucdu IMAM fnau-Nndt. MUCH
better; much better. Margaret would sor-
row over him dead: mad he would be a
haunting nightmare to her a constant,
CHASTITY grief.
the Beyond-whO could teil?-he might
we'll
when can it be done, Dale?" he said
suddenly.
You have decided. then. GiDert?
oh. yes; there's nothing else for it, OF
ut could be done on Friday. but you
would have to come up to the hospital
for it
wei. old chap. arrange it for me. VIII
You In the mean time I'll put my affairs
in order in case that one small chance of
mine does not come Off.
Captain Inderwick had moi said more
than the truth when he reminded his old
friend DR. Dale that he had strong nerves.
When he arrived at the hospital he look
ed as sound and healthy. and to the fun as
cheerful subject, as any surgeon or stu
dent in the building.
lie shook hands with Dale, Just before
the chloreform was administered, and
Dale was moved to say: Good, old chap.
Not a tremor, upon my world"
We'll. I'm in good hands" said IndeT-
wick, and hoping for the hest; and after
all man can only die once. whether it's
by a BOer bullet or a surgeons knife, Ell?
L 1t is to be the Beyond. well, good bye,
old FELLOW. and God bless you. Teg Mar
Earet that her name was the last word
on my lips"
Then Oblivion. and the trepanning saw.
Sir James MACPHERSON did not belle his
great reputation He had located the stu
alton of the tumor with marvellous pre-
cision. and he extracted it with the delft
ness Of a magician.
Serious though the operation was. Gill
bert. somewhat to his surprise suffered
no Inconvenience from It. nor was the
process or recovery either long tedious.
He had but one thought in his mind.
and that was TO get back TO SOuth Africa
before the lighting was over. and this
idea took such firr3 possession Of him that
the sense of time left him. and when Dale
pronounced him out Of danger it seemed
10 him that the operation had taken place
no longer ago than the day before.
He had no difficulty I'm persuading Dale
TO get him certified as fit for duty. or In
obtaining permission from the War Office
to start al once for the Cape in order to
Teioin his regiment at the front.
He found himself in good company on
board the Tantallon Castle. for troops
were stin being sent out TO Africa, and
among the officers on board were several
old friends. all of them in high spirits at
the prospect OF active service after a long
spell of idleness at home.
AS it turned out it was very active SER
vice indeed, and Gilbert had many oppOr-
tunities of distinguishing himself.
With the equalization Of Pretoria, how
ever, the campaign came 10 an end, and
his regiment was one of the first to come
home again.
II WIS with a light heart Gilbert told
himself, that he was setting out on the
voyage home, for he was down for the
Victoria Cross, well as for promotion,
and Margaret had written out TO say that
she was so proud OF him that she was
willing to let their marriage take place
Immediately after his return.
But was he. after ALL as happy as ne
should be-
II was with many searchings of the
heart that Gilbert asked himself that
question on the way home.
Within a few days OF his arrival the
dream of all his later life would become
reality: yet as he told himself that this
rsras so he was conscious that there was no
! enthusiasm. no responsive throb in his
heart. and before the voyage was over
he realized with a sense OF dumb misery
that the thought of Margaret no longer
had the power to stir him as OF old, could
no longer rouse within him the fire which
always hitherto the very breathing OF her
uame had kindled
What was it. what was the matter with
him. he asked himself a hundred times
day.
lie had seen no other woman since he
and his promised wife had parted less
than three months before had dreamed of
40 other woman in that tCuder relation
toward him save Margaret; yet over her
fair face heart and intellect were at war
within him.
Intellect still loved her. called her by
every endearing name. dwelt on the SOFT
music Of her voice, recalled cach tone ana
look, and saw again the loveight in her
/ Heart was cold and sl5eptical and I'M
moved by any Of these imaginative rap
lures. m
What on earth is the matter with meg
ne asked himself. 81 seem to be able TO
watch this struggle between two or my
inner selves Just as one does IN dreams