The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-19

ooWn . SIDE street toward MS own
comfortable house.
Vane idolized his wife and child. Il
was their only one. and there was not
likely to be another. His birth had
almost cost his wife her life. The lit.
tie boy, seven years old. always ran
to meet his father on his return to
be taken up in his arms and kissed
and petted.
Today the boy was nowhere about.
He was wont to watch for his father
from the steps Of the house. But he
was not on the steps. nor playing in
the hall when vane let himself in with
his key. Instead. a troubled woman
came toward him.
Cyrus, you must come to see Dicky
at once" she said. Il put him to bed;
he has been feverish all day, and-Oh,
Cyrus, he can't move his right arm"
Frantically vane bounded up the
stairs He rushed into the bedroom in
which the little boy was lying. One
glance at his face. and he flung him.
self down beside the bed IN an agony
of grief.
He rose to face his wife, who had
followed him. She read the verdict in
his eyes. She screamed and caught
at his arm ju"t as the woman in the
street had done.
Cyrus. What is It? 1t isn't"
Yes, he said. bowling his head.
But it isn't the worst thing that could
befall him. he added, Many chill
dren make complete recovery from
1t; some, OF course, are crippled,
but"
Cyrus. What are you talking about?
Only last night you were telling me
that you have discovered an absolute
cure. You said there was not the
slightest doubt about it."
Dorothy
Then how can you speak of Grip.
pies in connection with D:cky? Have
you got the antitoxin with you or must
you 60 back to the laboratory. Oh,
there must be no DELAY"
The man looked into her face be-
Hadn't she understood?
Il can't use it. Dorothy" he moaned,
! sinking into a chair.
You mean it isn't for use?"
| Yes. But it has to be proved. It
has to justify it's t.. in a thousand
cases. Humanity l ain sure, but NOR
ally | am not justifi, d / ntil am scien-
tifically sure"
She was shaking him by the arm
| as he stammered out his explanation.
Cyrus! What are you talking about?
Don't you see that Dicky has infantile
paralysis, and don't you know that this
is not the time to argue? Get the
serum"
Listen. Dorothy said Cyrus Vane.
rising and going up to her. TRY to
understand me. A doctor may not
think of persons. He works only for
the race. Today poor woman asked
me for some of the serum for her
child. refused. 1t was dying. and it
died later She caught me by the arm
In the street and asked me to save her
other child. / refused"
You refused? My God, are you 60.
ing to let Dicky die?"
They we're face to face with the Is.
sue now, and he saw that there was
no relenting upon her own. Relent?
He might as well have argued with q
stone. From the bed came a feeble
wall. Vane started and turned toward
It.
I'm SO hot" walled the boy. "And
| rtnht daddy
The mans face was working convul'
sively. His wife caught him by the
hands; she sank to her knees and
pleaded wildly with him.
You're going to murder Dicky for
science, them" she asked. mo, Cy.
rus, you cant. Don't you see how bru.
tai it is? If science demands that II
is devil You must save him"
At that moment there came the
sounds of alteration outside. A strug.
gle, the door was burst open, and
the woman who had pleaded with
vane in the street appeared. breaking
away from the butler, who tried to
hold her
Doctor Vane!" she cried, fiinging
herself upon her knees also and ex'
tending her hands. my boy is dying.
You can save him. You are going to
save him-you must. Otherwise you
will carry the brand Of Cain on your
forehead for the whole Of your life"
Vane looked haggardly at the two
women, then at the child on the bed.
If do this my professional future
Is sacrificed" he said. Il am out Of
the ranks of the experimenters. No.
body will have faith in me. 1t is a
breach of duty. IL"
Daddy, won't you please make me
well?" pleaded the childish voice.
Vane hesitated a moment longer;
then bowed his head and hurried from
the room. He knew that the cry of
his blood had proved more potent
than duty. He knew that his work
was ended. He had played false with
science.
But he knew that at least two wom-
en- would bless his name as long as
| thew werp alive