The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

II amt beautiful yet" Gretzel in
terrupted, with n glance at her thin
arm.
The nurse threw herself on her
knees by the side Of the girl. She
kissed that thin arm again and again.
Yes, you are beautiful and Won
derful." she half sobbed. Don't ask
me questions, Gretzel. Please don't
ask me questions"
Gretzel placed her hands on the
nurses head. She didn't like to see
any one worried. And because, here,
she herself seemed always to be the
cause Of worry she answered reas-
suringly the only comforting thing
she could think Of:
I'm partickly comfy"
Whereupon the nurse rose swiftly
and hurried out Of the room.
Sanity favored Gretzel with an unex-
pected visit this same morning. He
came in shortly after the nurse had
left and Gretzel explained TO him at
once that she had not had her egg.
SOP" Schriftman answered ner-
vously.
lie seated himself on the edge Of
the bed. He placed his hand firmly
on her shoulder.
"Kleine maedchen." he faltered, "if
you were mein own klelne maedchen I
could not loft you more
She put her arms around his neck.
Dear. dear Sanity" she cooed.
80" he said, so you must neffer
forget dot
He drew a little away from her.
What he had to say he said looking
fair into her blue eyes.
To-day" he said. I'VE must make
der ache go-poof-foreffer!"
He snapped his fingers.
The ache?" she questioned anxi-
ously.
"Foreffer," he assured her. 'Und If
1t hurts you when it ISIS going"
She smiled up into his face. She
grasped his thumb.
you I guess"
He held his breath a moment. He
couldn't say any more after that.
So it was Burrell who was forced
TO prepare the maid for what was TO
he done. He did it as well as he knew
how, but he made a bungling job Of il.
He left her gasping for breath with
all the old fear in her eyes.
The thing she could not understand
was what had become of Sanity. She
called for him again and again. The
best Burrell could think of to tell her
was that the Herr Doctor had gone to
ave a little girl from death and that
he would come back as soon as he
could.
Schriftman was depending upon the
disguise Of his operating robes to pre-
vent Gretzel from recognizing him.
But he had forgotten TO reckon with
the fact hat she might wonder at his
apparent desertion of her at this the
gravest crisis in her life. Burrell's
explanation did not help very much.
When they lifted her gently to the
stretcher and carried her through the
corridors to the high vaulted amphi-
theatre Sanity was nowhere TO be
seen. Pale. dumb, dazed. Gretzel
looked everywhere for him in vain.
Burrell in an anteroom assisted
Schriftman into his sterilized surplice.
He adjusted the mask oVer the sur
Seon's beard and the white cap over
his hair, leaving only his eyes eX-
posed. hen he helped him into his
rubber gloves. He himself was white
and loose in all his joints, but Schrift-
man, though white, was Ike a marble
statue.
He was rigid and inhumanly cold.
He moved about with the quick GER
ta!nty of motion of an automaton.
He gave his orders in a voice that
clicked like an instrument. Burrell
could not help admirlng such self
control. but at the same time it made
him shudder.
When all was ready Schriftman
walked noiselessly into the amphi-
theatre. Gretzel was lying face down
with an inferno stationed at either
side OF her head. \ nurse stood ready
near the Glittering array of instru-
ments. Schriftman scarcely breathed
as he approached, but he had no
sooner reached the girls side than
she forced up her head. For a heart
beat she stared wildly at the sheeted
figure. Then she gave a glad, conf
dent cry:
"Santy. Sanity"
Schriftman. without replying, nodded
n signal, and the internes gently
forced Gretzel back again. But Bur
rell slumped to the ioor like an empty
grain sack and was Of no more use
To any one.
For twenty-four hours after the
dialect, as he always did when deeply
moved. Il tink Richards ISIS der man
to do dot-hein?"
7 do Gretzel?" exclaimed Burrell.
Schriftman nodded. looking up a,
l'urreil from beneath his wiry eye.
hrows.
why, Doctor" cried Burrell, there's
just one man in the world to do tina,
operation-and hats you"
SChriftman's head sank.
Richards is a great operator" ad.
mi,tcd Burrell, but he hasn't your
nerve. And, good Lord. it's going to
take a a of iron To do that opera
ton without ether
Schriftman vince. Burrell ran on
eNcitedly.
why. you yourself said she didn't
nave a nance in ten, but without you
why. II wouldn't be a chance in a
hundred"
Burrell was pleading. He was plead
ing with his heart in this plea, for he
was pleading for Gretzel's life. The
operation had been the talk of the
hnSnitnl for thr., u.,alv III, ,i,l.,