The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-23
Price Of an Operation.
By L. V. BoYcE.

Copyright, 1901, by Daily Story Pub. Co.
1t happened so suddenly that it left
everybody daZed. Just wild scamper
or the horses to see who should reach
the house first, in which the senator's
daughter from the East had Joined with
spirit and enthusiasm; mistake by one
of the sorrels, fall, quick rally of the
balance of the party, only to find the girl
lying, crushed and bleeding fairly under
the horse whose frantic efforts to rise
only added to the mischief. A score OF
willing hands had seized the horse and
extricated the unconscious girl, and she
had been carried into the house. Old
DR.. Boggs from town, ten miles distant,
was Just leaving the ranch where he
had been attending one of the cowboys,
down with fever He was hastily sum
moned back. After an examination he
gravely shook his head. The gray-hair-
ed senator clenched his hands.
God, doctor, don't say it is fatal!' he
cried. at will kill her mother Save
her and I'll make you the richest man in
the state
1t was a sad ending, indeed to an ex-
cursion The senator and his daughter,
who were travelling N the West, had stop
Pc. off TO look over some land in which
he had an interest, and the girl had be-
come very much interested in the pic
turesque side of the ranch life, the aban-
don of the cow-punchers, the free, I'M
conventional outdoor exercise. That
day they had ridden out to see round
up and branding, and on the return the
accident had taken place.
The doctor looked gravely at the sena-
tor, and replied: "She is injured inter-
nally, but l think there is one operation
that would save her, but it is so rare
and so difficult that only the very high
est of specialists in abdominal surgery
could attempt with any sort of hope of
her not dying under the knife. I only
know of such operations from reading of
them in medical journals"
How near is there a surgeon who
could attempt it?" asked the senator.
Not nearer than Denver, ] fear" re-
piled the physician.
There was dead silence for moment.
The physician looked at the senator,
whose face was knotted with grief. Then
he said slowly:
Il read in some paper some time ago
that DR.. Brown, Of Denver, who is q
distinguished surgeon, had bought the
Kelly ranch, over on Buffalo creek, and
intended to spend what time he could
take from his practice there in outdoor
life. 1t is just possible that he might
be there now. 1t is twenty miles from
here.
The senator did not wait for further
talk. Instantly he was outside the
door, where the cowpunchers were
gathered talking in whispers and wait
ing for news of the injured girl. For
women are rare sight on the ranches
and this girl had been such vision of
loveliness and her sweet, unaffected
ways, her enthusiasm, and her keen
interest in all the things she saw and
in the bold riders that they had all
sworn fealty to her in their Utmost
souls.
ITO the Kelly ranch!' shouted the SEN
ator; ito the Kelly ranch, and if DR..
Brown is there bring him as fast as
horses can travel It's her only chance,
and every second counts. Don't spare
horses l will pay ten prices for every
one killed. Ten thousand dollars TO the
man who gets DR.. Brown here within six
hours, and thousand dollars a minute
for every minute saved or that time.
Tell him that he can name his own price.
Only for Gods sake hurry.
Already dozen men We're astride their