Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-01-20
CHAPTER XVII.
"Fowler Will Kill Me-"


malayas above the Sutlej gorge where
1t comes down out Of Tibet.
1t is Il place Of such wildness and
beauty as no other scenery in the
world affords. The granite terrace
which runs round the four sides Of the
low block Of laboratories looks out in
every direction upon mountains. Far
below in the hidden depths Of a shad-
Owy blue cleft the river pours down in
its tumultuous passage to the swarm
ing plains Of India. No sound Of it's
roaring haste comes up to those sereni-
ties. Beyond that blue gulf. in which
whole forests of giant deodars seem no
more than small patches of moss. rise
vast precipces Of many cOlOred rock.
fretted above. lined by snowfaIls and
jagged into pinnacles. These are the
northward wall Of a towering wilder
ness Of ice and snow which chambers
southwark. higher and wilder and
vaster to the eliminating SUBMITS Of
our globe. to Dhaulagiri and Everest.
Here are cliffs Of which no other land
can show the like and deep cllasms in
which Mont Blanc might be plunged
and hidden. Here are icetields lis big
as inland seas. on which the tumbled
powders lie so thickly that strange
little flowers can bloom among them
under the untempered sunshine. To
the northward and blocking out any
vision Of the uplands of Tibet rises
that citadel of porcelain, that Gothic
pile, the Lilo Porgyul-Walls, towers
and peaks--a clear 1900 feet of vein
ed and splintered rock above the river.
ward rise peaks behind peaks against
the dark blue Himalayan sky. Far
away below to the south the clouds of
the Indian rains pile up abruptly and
are stayed by an invisible hand.
Hitler it was that. with a dream
like swiftness, Karenin flew high over
ehe irrigations Of Rajputana and the
towers and cupolas OF the ultimate
Delhi. and the little group Of buildings,
albeit the southwark wall dropped
nearly 500 feet, seemed to him as he
scared down to it like toy lost among
these mountain wi,dernesses. No road
came up to this place. 1t was reached
only by flight.
His pilot descended to the great
courtyard. and Karenin. assisted by
bis secretary, clambered down through
the wing fabric and made his way
to the officials who came out to receive
him.
In this place, beyond infections and
noise and any distraction. surgery had
made for itself a house of research
and healing fastness. The building
itself would have seemed very wonder
full 10 eyes accustomed to the flimsy
architecture Of an age when power
was precious. 1t was made of granite.
already a little roughened on the out
side by frost. but polished within and
Of a tremendous solidity. And in a
honeycomb OF subtiy lit apartments
were the spotless research benches.
the operating tables. the Instruments
of brass and fine glass and platinum
and gold Men and women came from
all parts of the world for study or ex-
perimental research. They wore a
common uniform of white and ate at
long tables together. but the patients
lived in an upper part Of the buildings
and were cared for by nurses and skill
ed attendants.
The first man to greet Karenin was
Ciana. the scientific director of the in
stitution. Beside him was Rachael
Borken. the chief organizer. You are
tired:" she asked. and old Karenin
shook his head. "Cramped." be said
II have wanted to visit such a place
as this
He spoke as if he had no other bust
ness with them.
There was a little pause.
How many scientific people have
you got here now?" he asked.
Just 392," said Rachel Borken.
And the patients and attendants
and 50 on?"
1.-Two thousand and thirty"
II shall be patient" said Karenin
II shall have to be a patient. But
should like to see things first. Pres
emily will be a patient"
"Yon will come to my rooms?" sug
gested Ciana.
And then | must talk to this doctor
of yours" said Karenin. But would
like to see bit of this place and talk
to some of your people before it comes
to that"
He WINGED and moved forward.
IL have left most Of my work II
ORDER" be said.
"You have been working hard up t,
nowY' asked Rachel Borken.
Yes. And now l have nothing NOR,
to do-and it seems strange. And it.!
bother. this illness. and having tt
come down to oneself. This doorwa!
and that row of windows Is wei
done; the gray granite and just tn
line Of gold and then those mountains
beyond through that arch. It's yer!
we'll done"
Karenin lay on the bed with sof
white rug about him, and Fowler, VIII
was to be his surgeon, sat on the edg
of the bed and talked to him. Al
assistant was seated quietly in tb
shadow behind the bed. The examina
ton had been made and Karenin knew
what was before him. He was tired
but serene.
$50 | shall die" be said. unless yo'
operator"
Fowler assented.
And then" said Karenin. smiling
"'prObabIy shall die
mot certainly"
.Evon IF I df, NOT die shall | be abb