Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-22
'oh, Alice" she said to herself.

"oh. Alicen she said to herself
'Mr. Cochran has not come to me, how
ever" said Sir James.
'Well. 1 believe in him." said Maud.
AT least-you see am nearly Christian
direct the power of God on to people. And
that is the biggest thing possible, isn't it?'
Sir James nodded quietly.
ut Is the only thing possible" he said,
whether you have cancer or consumption.
or a toothache. That l entirely believe, and
l believe that If you can get that direct
power you have no need of US. And when
we-the doctors, ! mean-say We are power
less. get in the man with the barrel-organ.
Oh, but compound fracturev' he cried sud-
denly. What ridiculous nonsense"
He was silent for a moment after this
sudden professional burst of indignation.
But this Mr.. Cochran" he said. who
and where is hep
! from him two days ago. He is in New
York.
The doctor was silent a moment. II
have read some. of their literature" he
said, land heard about some of their re-
puted cures, and IL you choose-if you
choose, mind-you can send a telegram to
this Mr.. Cochran acquainting him with the
state of affairs. You see, don't think Mr..
Cochran can hurt Lord Thurso, and 1 feel
sure. that We, the doctors, can't benefit
| him.
Am I to get Mr.. Cochran to come here,
| then?' asked Maud.
Il think not. In the first place, it is a
good deal to ask, and, in the second, II only
| you or Lady Thurso could persuade him to
go, am quite convinced that sea voyage,
though of course 1t will not in any sense
| cure him, will benefit him. Now, do you
think 1t Is in your power to persuade him
TO go? You needn't say anything about a
Christian Science practitioner waiting for
him at the end; there is no need to mention
that, unless you think WELL
Maud thought about this.
Yes, l think l might be able to persuade
nnrta in1 l,a aa1
to listen to me when he would listen to no
body else. Would you think it odd II sug-
gested that he and 1 went alone, without
Lady fhurso l mean?'
Il should have suggested 1t if you had
not" said the doctor.
"Of course poor Thurso is mad, he is not
himself" said Maud. But you know all
this month he has been behaving as if he
hated her"
The doctor nodded.
II know. She has told me- Now l should
advise your putting this plan before your
brother as soon as possible-tomorrow, per-
haps, If he goes on well as he has done
today. And now l must be off. l shall be
here. of course. tomorrow morning"
Thurso. for a who had just passed
through SO dangerous attack. weakened
also as he was by his opium Indulgence,
showed extraordinary recuperative power,
and next day he asked of his own accord
If Maud might come in and see him.
This Sir James at once allowed.
She may certainly come" he said. II
will tell her"
He waited for a moment, but Thurso said
nothing about his wife. and shortly after
the doctor left him Maud came in
Now, it's only quarter of an hour, dear
Thurso," she said, that l allowed to
stay. You frightened us out of our wits
yesterday, you know. and today, why, you
look ever so much better
Thurso did not at once reply to this; then
he spoke quickly.
II don't want to see Lily" he said II
think the sight of her would send me off
my head. It's she who has brought me to
this. 1t was she who ruined my nerves
by always rushing about and flying off in
every direction"
"Ah never mind that said Maud. THE
only thing that you must do now is to stay
quiet and get WE'LL
But Thurso interrupted her.
I've behaved abomnably to her, too" he
said: but she drove me to it. She de-
spised me. could see that she despised
me, and SO hit back"
commanded Maud. But If you feel that
you don't want to Lily. I've got plan
to propose to you which we might do when
you are better"
"WeL?"
''Sir James told me yesterday that you
would have to go somewhere to pick up
again, and suggested the sea. Now you
and I both like the sea, so why shouldn't
we go off together. go to America or some
where, just for the voyage. We could stay
at Lily's house on Long Island for week
or TWO III you lkeQ.
Without Lily. do you mean?' asked he.
well. she loathes the sea-"
His eye frightened.
Yes, I'll come" he said. "if you promise
Lily won't. l won't go with her, mind
His voice had risen sharply over this, and
he silent afterward. breathing rather
quickly. Then he looked at Maud as she
sat beside the bed, and something in her
youth and beauty stirred some chord of
memory in him, and his mind which
quite clear, for all the deadly weakness of
his body, went back to early days when he
and Maud had been together so much, bound
together in an intimacy and affection that
seldom exists between brother and sister.
She had always been such a good friend to
him, such capital comrade, and now, he
felt there must stand between them the
horrors of these last months For the mo-
ment he got outside himself and judged
himself, and saw how hideous it had all
been.
I've made pretty good mess Of it ALL"
he said.
She laid her hand on his
Yes, dear Thurso but the past is past"
she remarked, land, thank God, it's never
too late"
Then that moment passed 1t had been
as brief as sudden ray of sun piercing
through some unconjectured rent in blind
ing storm-cloudS.
But it's Lily's. fault" he said.
But the ray had been there; his SOUL
though sick to death, still lived And that
was the only bit of consolation that Maud
could carry away with her.
CTo be continued tomorrow)