Evening star., 1909-07-06
. q D 3 = d sk y Is . y n w y y y y
CHAPTER xx11I-continued.

CHAPTER XXIII-Continued.
Desiree did not answer. She was
asleep. On tiptoe, Caleb crossed to the
bed He laid her down upon it, smooth
ing the hot tumbled pillows with his un-
accustomed hand. Then he tiptoed with
ponderous softness out of the room and
closed the door silently behind him.
Well he exclaimed sleefuily. ad-
dressing Jack and the doctor, who were
consulting at the far end of the next
room. Guess l had my fright for
nothin'. She'll get on fine. Shes sound
asleep, an her forehead s.
1t is the morphia [ gave her 10 deaden
the pain said the doctor. ''lf she had
not been suffering so terribly II would
have taken effect before.
rMorphia? Sufferin?" repeated Caleb.
WHY, she's hardly sufferin at all. Told
me SO, herself Look here he went on.
bullyingly., as he advanced on the physi-
clan. "Dye mean to say there's a chance
she won't get well""
There is no earthly power, retorted
the doctor. nettled at The domineering ng
tone. that can keep her alive ten hours
longer
L
Il cannot thrash you in the anteroom
of DEATH" answered the doctor and l
take your sorrow inio consideration
But what / just said is true. Miss
Shevlin has sustained internal injuries
which cannot but prove fatal. Nothing
but her yearning to see you again has
kept her alive AS long as this. 1t Is
best to be frank"
Caleb was eyeing him stupidity. At
last he turned to Jack.
Did you send those tel'grams?" he
asked. and his voice was dead.
yes. sir" replied Hawardcn. 4 sent
them. but
But told him it was useless" put
in the doctor. There is not fight
ing chance. She will not come out of
her forehead is what you laymen would
call the death sweat She
YOU lie-' broke forth Caleb. beside
himself. You may fool women and
children by your damn profess nal airs.
but it don't go down with me. I've
seen folks die An they amt sane an
cheerful an bright like Dey Shevlin
was just now You quacks make a liv-
in by throwin' medicines you don't half
understand into systems You don't I'M.
derstand at all AS long it's trif1in'
case of mumps or headache you look
all-fired wise an write our descriptions
in a furren language to hide your ignor-
nee But when anything's reely the
matter you're as helpless as a. drunken
longshorcman. If the patient dies from
your blunders an from the dope YOU
throw haphazard into him he hadn't a
chance from the start If he gets well
in spite of you it's your almighty skill
that pulled him through. When a fei-
Ter gets collie an you call it appended
tis. what do you do? You don't rest
knives into him. If he gets well it's a
'mir'cle of modern surgery If he croaks
the .opration was a success-only the
patient got peevish an died There
never yet was an appendicitis case
where the quack in charge didn't say
thered a been no hope if the op'ration
had been delayed another two hours.
Oh. you're fine lot of takers an gold
brick con men. you doctors: An. now
you say my little girls dyin'. God
damn your soul. | tell YOU again you
lie."
The doctor picked up his black bag
without replying and moved toward ths
outer door
Where you goin'?" demanded Caleb.
I'm going home. was the stiff report.
az drop this case. I do not care to be as
sociated longer with a wild beast like.
The words were choked in his mouth
At spring Conover had cleared the
space between them. had caught the
him back and forth with jerks that
threatened 10 snap the victims spine
Then he hurled him To the center of the
room and lowered over him. ablaZe with
fury.
''Yes. I'm a wild beast. all right he
snarIed An I'm li'ble to become a
hom cidal one a that. Drop the case.
would you: Sneak out an leave that poor
kid i'm there 20 lose what chance she
might have from your help: Well. Mr..
Doctor, if you take one step out into that
hall the next step you take'l be in
hell. What's more. you'll go back to that
sick room. right now: and you'll work
over Miss Shevlin like YOU never worked
tryin' to get away-by the Eternal. I'll
tear YOU in half with my bare hands.
Now go! Go in tilere.''
The doctor, his rage tempered by the
memory Of the iron fn-ers on his wind
pipe, glared at the mailman in angry ir-
resolution. Caleb's muscles tightened
omnously. The physician recoiled step
in most unprofessional haste.
"You are a dangerous maniac!' he said
somewhat unsteadiy. land you shall go
the present. 1 shall remain on the case
Not because of your threats, but from
common humanity toward
Toward Yourself finished Ca'eb, sat
just to make sure. I'll lock the outer door
Of this suite an pocket the key. Now go
back to your patient
Outside there was slaring. heartless
sunshine. In the sick room stood Caleb
and Jack. one on either side of the bed
over which the doctor was bending. With
closed eyes Desiree Shevlin rested where
Conover had laid her. For hours she had
lain thus.
81 can do no more. pronounced the
doctor. rising and meeting ca,cb's glazed
eye. The end ma come now at any
moment
The Fighter, his every faculty drowned
in the horrible egotism of grief, made no
answer.
IF only there were some one to pray
muttered Jack. battling TO keep back the
tears. II wish Mr.. Grant was"
Pray" echoed Caleb. rousing himself
and clutclIng at the faint hope "It can't
do any harm. Pray, man! Pray"
II can't babbled the boy. IT don't
know how. | never prayed in my life.
"Try it!' groaned Caleb. "Try it, 1
say! You may have beginners luck"
NO use!' interposed the doctor Its
over!'
AS he spoke Desiree stirred ever SO
slightly. Her closed eyes opened She
seemed to settle lower in the bed Then
she lay very still.
With sobbing cry Jack Hawarden
rushed from the room Conover stood,
dumb. petrified. staring wildly down into
the unseeing, all-seeing eyes
CHAPTER XIV.