The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-10-18

had strong nerves.
When he arrived 1t the hospital h
looked as sound and healthy, and t,
the full as cheerful subject as an,
surgeon or student in the building.
He shook hands with Dale Just be
fore the chleroform was administered
and Dale was moved to say, Good, oil,
| Chap! Not tremor, upon my word.
well. I'm in good hands," said In
berwick, and hoping for the best. ent
after all a man can only die once
whether it's by a Boer bullet or {
surgeons knife, ehs If it is to be thu
Beyond, well, good-by, old fellow, ant
God bless you. Tell Margaret tha,
| her name was the last word on ry
| lips!"
Then oblivion. and the trepanning
| saw.
Sir James MACPHERSON did not belle
his great reputation. He had located
the situation of the tumor with mar
velous precision, and he extracted il
with the deftness of a magician.
Serious though the operation was
Gilbert, somewhat to his surprise,
suffered no inconvenience from it nor
was the process of recovery either
long or tedious.
He had put one thought in his mind.
and that was to get back to South
Africa before the fighting was over,
and this idea took such firm posses
sion of him that the sense of time left
him, and when Dale pronounced him
out OF danger it seemed to him that
the operation had taken place no long
er ago that the day before.
He had no difficulty In persuading
Dale to get him certified as fit for
duty, or in obtaining permission from
the war Office to start at once for the
Cape in order to rejoin his regiment
at the front.
He found himself in good company
on board the 1antalion Castle, for
troops were still 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 1t turned out it was very ac-
tive service indeed, and Gilbert had
many opportunities of distinguishing
himself.
With the capitulation OF Pretoria,
however, the campaign came to an
end, and his regiment was one of the
first to come home again.
It was with light heart, Gilbert
told himself, that he was setting out
on the voyage home, for he was down
for the Victoria Cross, as we'll as for
and Margaret had written
out to say that she was so proud Of
him that she was willing to let their
take place Immediately after
his return.
But was he, after all, as happy as
he should be?
It was with many searchings of the
heart that Gilbert asked himself that
question on the way home.
Within few days of his arrival the
iream Of his later life would become
reality; yet as he told himself that
his was so he was conscious that
here was no enthusiasm, no respon-
'ive throb In his heart, and before the
voyage was over he realized with a
,ense Of dumb misery that the thought
i Margaret no longer had the power
o stir him as Of old, could no longer
'ouse within him the flre which al. |
Ways hitherto the very breathing Of
Ter name had kindled.
What was 1t, what was the matter |
With him? he asked himself a hundred
lines q day.
He had seen no other woman since |
e and his promised wife had parted |
pss than three months before, had
reamt OF no other woman in that
ender relation toward him save Mar
aret; yet over her fair face heart
nd intellect were at war within him.
Intellect still loved her, called her
Y every endearing name, dwelt on the
oft music of her voice, recalled each
one and look, and saw again the
weight in her sweet gray eyes.
Heart was cold and skeptical and
nmoved by any Of these imaginative
aptures.
What on earth is the matter with
e?" he asked himself. II seem to
; able to watch this struggle between
yo Of my inner selves just as one
pes in dreams sometimes, when the
&c seems to detach itself and be-
me imporsora,. l wonder what old
put inside my head when +,
, took that tumor out! Upon my
ord, l believe I'm going mad after
II"
BY the time the Livada reached
he was in fever to see
argaret once more and fight the
ruggle out with her.
Perhaps the sight of her, the touch
her hands, of her lips, would put
m right again. But If not, If these :
,ubts still assailed him, why, he
ust frankly tell her SO.
After all, the change which he :
ared had taken place in him might +
imaginary. g
He had gone through a good deal :
ring these last few months, and the
citement of a campaign pushed for i
ard at express speed, in order to E