Middletown transcript., 1911-08-05
THE TIE S r
BY MAY WYNNE

whom her brother adored, and
whom John had adored, too, in
quite q different way. A love
match, ideal 1t seemed in every
sense. And then, would Paul ever
forget the haggard, white faced
man who had come one day to
him here in this very room not
three years ago, and told him. a.
midst bitter sobbing and self
cursing, how Lena Jinson, fifth
rate chorus girl, a designating,
heartless woman, had trapped
him into marriage? Yes! A mar
riage. Fool that he had been!
Half drunken he supposed, yet
trapped safely enough. And it had
been Paul's task to tell Maisie.
Strong man that he was, a groan
broke from Wayncliff's lips at q
memory three years old.
Poor, pitiful little Maisie, who
had been transformed by that
blow from a happy, laughing
child into sad-eyed woman. No.
she had not died, such grief sell
dom kills the body, but it had
bowed down her soul in great
despair.
Poor Maisie! Poor Maisie!
Poor John! He could pity them
both even then. He had pitied
them both through every day Of
those long years.
And now, in the very irony of
fate; this woman who had mar
ried the lives of the two beings
he loved most on earth had come
to him to cure her of her deadly
sickness.
DR.. Haughton had spoken fact.
The operation which was neces.
sary to save Lena Vessicker's
life was the one which had made
him-Paul Wayncliff-famous It
was his speciality his triumph. If
he refused to perform it on this
wife of John Vessick's it was al
most il not entirely, tantamount
to signing her death warrant.
Should he refuse? 1t was his
perfectly legitimate right. There
were plenty Of other doctors and
surgeons, too! Should he refusef
If so, she would die. He was
certain of that. Before she
could consult any one else fatal
complications would be setting
: in. And no one could perform
, that delicate operation as he did
And supposing she died. What
| then? Why, John would be free
: he would marry Maisie, they
! would agree to blot out those
] three years misery and be happy
as they were before. Happy a:
it was possible for human beings
? to be, without a cloud on thei
= horizon. Not a cloud? Was t ha
Z possible? What Of the memor.
i of a woman who had died becaus
| Paul Wayncliff had refused t
b to save her life? Would it b
Q murder? No, not murder-th
J sweat broke over his brow at th
> thought-buts something very lik
. it. Professional instinct tol
Il him that-something so like
:. that the man grew afraid Of hi
U own thought.
If he refused to perform tha
Y operation Lena Vessicker woul
die as surely as though he drew
. q dagger into her heart. And
= though Maisie's happiness Nigh
J be procured. he dared not pa
u the price.
o No, he dared not. Even 70
= Maisie's sake he dared not refus
= to save the life which stood be
y tween her and happiness.
He stood up, drawing a dee
: !, breath. Thank God, the temptf
ton which for a few long mir
! utes had striven with him so il
: sidiously, so alluringly, SO MAJ
terfuliy. Yet be had faced th
tempting picture, and seen b
= yond. 1t was Impossible. II
:, must fight the deadly diseasr
and strive to overcome it /
) though the patient were his des
!. est and nearest rather than b
bitterest enemy.
Yet in strange complexity
,is feeling lie smiled ironicall
~ What would the woman herse
an say if she knew to whom she hi
a come?
nd 1t was the late evening Of th
same day when Paul Wyncliff
no butler announced a visitor. II
he master looked up with frow
ed The days emotions had tri,
ais him, he felt tired and heavy, n
at all in the mood for visitors.
as Yet this one would not be del
:er ed.