The Holbrook news., 1914-09-11

irony that the man who had ruined his wife's life should have come bach to ruin his sons career.
 If ever wishes fought, Annas wish was fighting the determination of the tradesmen, of the sick man himself It was will against will, pitted in deadly struggle-a dozen to one, if will counts for anything in the affairs of men. And the boys future, against the husbands life, with no possibility of any compromisei
 Anna had reckoned that if her hus- band lived the three months there would be just two hundred dollars re- maining, with which to face the world anew If he lived the total debt would be hideous.
 It was at the beginning of the third month that the physician came to the house with youngish, keen-eyed man, in an automobile.
 Mrs. Foulkes, this Is Doctor Ste vens," he said. "He is the greatest authority in the world on such cases as your husbands. I was speaking of it to him last week, and he wishes to make an examination"
 Half an hour after the doctors came out of the sick mans room to the woman, who had risen hastily from her knees. She had been praying that Curtin might live. The prayer was to be heard.
 Doctor Stevens thinks that there is a chance to cure your husband" said the physician. 'Tt will necessitate an operation" He hemmed a little. "Of course Doctor Stevens fees are high, much higher than those of an ordi- nary practitioner" he continued.
 Never mind the cost" said Anna Foulkes. Give me back my husband"
 Excuse me, doctor" said the phy- sician, and the great man withdrew a little way across the room. ''It is nee. essary to be businesslike, Mrs. Foulkes," her doctor continued. He will operate for two hundred dollars"
 Two hundred dollars! If Curtin died that would be the last of the insur- ance money. But if he Hved-what years of toll! And the idea of Grant wich would have become ludicrously absurd. Anna did not waver.
 well, it must be done, of course," she said. When can Doctor Stevens operate?"
 Now" answered the physician. 'Tn fact, the sooner the better. To be frank with you, Mrs. Foulkes, I brought him here for that purpose"
 If he had been franker he would have added that Doctor Stevens would %o fAr nothing. It was an unusual case, and much was to be learned from it. As a matter of fact, he would have paid two hundred dollars for the expert ence. But of course Anna could not know anything about that.
 Get the table scrubbed" continued the physician. And take down the curtains. I have teleqhoned to the hospital for a nurse."
 An hour later the fumes of ether began to permeate the cottage. The white-robed doctor and nurse were working busily inside the parlor. Out side Anna prayed.
 She thought of her life with Curtin, of those miserable years, his drunken ness, his dishonesty, the total wreck of their happiness that they had made. It was partly her fault; Curtin had been an average sort of man. But gaze on them she had forgotten to be tolerant of human failings.
 As she kneeled there it seemed 10 her as though her single will were fighting a lost battle against the will of all these men, the united wills of tradesmen, of the undertaken, of the physician and surgeon, even. As in a vision she saw the terrific battle. And there was one thing that all depended on.
 That was Charlie. His will, added ation. If he were against her, then there was no hope.
 A shadow fell across the floor. She looked up, to see the white face of the boy. An agonizing love rushed into her heart How like little man he was! And he had always known about his father, and never told her!
 Charlie, dear, want you to under stand" she said. of your father dies, his insurance moneJ will take you tc Grantwich and give you an education. It will pay the bills of the tradesmen and the doctors, too, and the funeral expenses. But if he lives-why, my dear boy, there will be no more school for you. It will be just one long and dreadful battle for the rest of our lives. You and I will have to work as lard as we can work. What do you want to happen, Charlie?"
 The boys lips qu;Tered. q want my father" he answere,.
 Tn spite of all you must give up, dear?"
 "Yes, mother" he answered.
 Then, in that instant, Anna Foulkes felt a sudden uplifting of Ser heart, The boys will had turned the scale. She felt it; sne knew the devils i legions of tradesmen, doctors and all i the rabble rout were beaten