Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-27

now only faint, vague whisper could
drift in through the audiphone; and
only in crude, uneven characters
could she reply, sending out brief mes
sages to the watchers by her bedside
Motonless then, soundless and
blind she lay there like one dead,
Save for the throbbing of her pulse,
now quite visible in the little hollow OF
on the bed, she seemed quite lifeless.
Even the rise and fall of her bosom
in respiration was almost entirely
masked by the thick, swaddling ban
dages.
The suggestion of a mummy re-
Cured to me even more strongly than
before. Involuntarily | shuddered.
A kind of horror seemed to possess
me despite my effort of will to repress
tia feeling | never yet had eXpe-
rienced in any one of my almost in
Vulnerable cases, some of which had
been very terrible indeed.
This case differed essentially from
all others. | had never witnessed any.
thing save sickness or injury-all in
voluntary except few attempted
suicides striving back to lie and
health and strength. This case was
that of a perfectly sound and vigorous
woman voluntarily immured in dark
ness and in anguish for the sake Of
aspirations TO the perfect. 1t seemed,
in some ways, an awful and an i'm.
pious thing.
vague prescience of evil and dis
aster lowered in that bright, purple.
hued warm and scrupulously guarded
atmosphere. Voices of warning seem.
ed to echo in the droning hum of the
magnetic apparatus inundating Alex
andra with healing, tivifying rada-
tons.
Science, skill, knowledge, wondrous
and all but superhuman cunning now
were pitted against Nature the SUI
preme, Which would win? Which,
after all, would conquer in this Pro
methean struggle to snatch down the
fires of perfection from the torch of
Fate?
Twentyfour hours had passed. II
was now four-thrty in the afternoon
OF Thursday, March 26. All three OF
us were tired to extinction. The hours
since the operation had been filled
with eeaseless watching. with tests
with amending labors, hopes, fears
problems. All still seemed going we'll
On the whole prospects We're bright.
Brodeur turned from Il minute in
spection of the dials and remarked to
his colleague:
80 far 500 good. For the present
We can do nothing more. We must
watch, wait and observe. There is lit
tie else TO do. Nature herself will
weigh our efforts and our plans in
her own balances. If we have inter.
preted her laws correctly, and il cause
and effect still operate here as
throughout the wonderful universe,
the result is assured"
provided Dr.. Bloss pays strict at.
tention to every detail in our alb.
sence" remarked Vital Ergazy with
yelled malice.
The man obviously enough had con.
ceyed bitter spite AGAINST me, prob
ably because of my tentative sugces
lions to Alexandra that she abandon
the experiment Now his comment
WAS a bitter sneer.
Even to doubt me Is an insult"
retorted angrily, reddening. Il have
MT rested moment since the opera.
tion-and you suspect me?"
'Oh, not at ALL my dear doctor. not
at ALL" apolosized Ergazy, bowling
suavely. But we are all human
and prone to err We are asking you
only what we demand of ourselves
unfailing watchfulness, absolutely cor.
rect judgment and the most minute
attention to details
"On this one experiment hangs the
making or the marrng of splendid
life; more than that, incalculable re
suits for the human race. Either we
leap to fame and work a vast benefit
to the whole world Or
Nom dun nom!' calculated Bro
deur angrily. "You and your gloomy
alternatives would drive an ordinary
man insane. No more of this, Vital
for Heavens sake. No discussions
here, please! Even though Alex
qndra cannot hear anything when
The audiphone is disconnected the
thought vibrations of Earring opinians
VIII disturb her. II DR.. Bloss will stay
on watch till midnight you can SLEEP
few hours and will go back to the
city, as we have already agreed
Back to New York;" | exclaimed
astonished. you don't mean to tell
me you're going to leave this case
now, either of YOU"
Brodeur nodded in the affirmative
YES" he responded. Don't you
understand the situation? You know
of course that we have an extensive
practise in partnership in New York
It will certainly go to destruction If We
leave it entirely in the hands of the
man who has charge Of it now.
ALREADY We have been absent more
than fotty.eight hours We have had
some disquIeting news over the phone
today about case that If it turns out
badly, may rather involve us One OF
ny must be- constantly in the city from
now ON. Important as Alexandra Is