The Irish standard., 1912-03-09

The angel Tell faSe asleep long before
they had finished, and lay deeply un-
conscious, while the fight for Freckles'
life was being waged.
Three days later she was up early
and lowering near Freckles' door.
The surgeon was with him. The
angel had been told that the word
he brought that morning would be
final. so she curled up in window
seat. dropped the curtains behind her,
and. In dire anxiety. waited the open
ing Of that closed door.
Just as 1t Enclosed. Mclean came
hurrying down the hall and up to the
surgeon, but with one glance at his
face he stepped back In dismay. and
the angel. who had risen, sank to the
seat again. too dazed to come forward.
The men faced each other. The
angel. with parted lips and frightened
eyes. bent forward in tense anxiety.
al thought he was doing nicely 2"
faltered Mclean.
HE bore the operation WELL" re-
Piled the surgeon, land his wounds
are not necessarily fatal. l told you
that yesterday. but did not tell you
that something else would probably
kill him. and it will. He need not die
from the accident, but he will not
live the day out because he SO evil
IDENTITY prefers death to life. If he
! were full Of hope and ambition to live,
my work would be easy. II all Of you
love him as you prove you do. and
there Is unlimited means to give him
anything he wants, why should he
desire death?"
lis he dying" demanded Mclean.
HE is" said the surgeon. He will
not live this day out, unless some
strong reaction sets In at once. He Is
SO low that, preferrng death to life,
nature cannot overcome his inertia.
II he is to live. he must be made to
desire life"
Then he must de-" said Mclean.
docs that mean that you know
what he desires and cannot, or will
not, supply it?"
1T MEANS" said Mclean desperately.
"that know what he wants, but It is
as far removed from my power to give
1t to him as it would be to give him a
star. The thing for which he will die
he can never have"
"Then you must prepare for the end
very shortly" said the surgeon, turn
ing abruptly away.
Mclean caught his arm roughly.
Look here!" he cried in desperation.
"You say that as If could do some
thing II would. l tell you the boy
is dear to me past expression. I would
do anything-spend my sum. You have
noticed and repeatedly commented on
the young girl with me. 1t is that
child that he wants! He worships her
to alteration, and knowing he can never
be anything to her, he prefers death
to life. In Gods name, what can I
do about it?''
Barring that missing hand. I never
handled a finer man." said the surgeon
land she seems perfectly devoted to
him, why cannot he have herr"
"Why?" echoed Mclean. why
Well. for good many reasons. told
you he was my son. You probably knew
that he was not. A little over year
ago l had never seen him. He Joined
one Of my lumber gangs from the road.
He is stray. left at one of your homes
for the friendless here in Chicago.
When he grew up the superintendent
bound him out to brutal man. He
ran away and landed In one of my
lumber camps. He has no name OF
knowledge of legal birth. The angel
we have talked Of her. She has ances
tors reaching back to Plymouth Rock
and across the sea for generations
back Of that. She is an idolized. petted
only child. and there is great wealth
He sees it more plainly than any one
else could. There is nothing for the
boy but death If 1t is the angel that IL
required to save him."
The angel stood between them.
"Well. guess notl' she cried. I'll
Freckles wants me an he has TO do Ii
to say so, and he can have me!''
"That he will never say" said Nc
Lean at last, land you don't under
| etAuOs nuSCts uOA huO" uVw yOU
came here. I wouldn't have had you
hear that for tho world. but since you
have. dear. you must be told that II
isn't your friendship or kindness
Freckles wants; 1t is your love-"
"Well. do love him." she said sim
ply.
McLean's arms dropped helplessly.
"You don't understand" he reiterat
ed patiently. ut isn't the love Of q
friend, or a comrade. or a sister. that
Freckles wants from you: 1t is the love
of a sweetheart. And II to save the
life he has offered for you you are
thinking of being generous and i'm
pulsive enough to sacrifice your future
lin the absence of your father 1t vii
become my plain duty, as the pro
tector in whose hands he has placed
you. to prevent such rashness. The
very words you speak and the manner
in which you say them proves that you
i. ! oro n v,ovo oh@jd orH hovo mt Avoo nj