The Pulaskian., 1917-08-24
CHAPTER xxv.-continued.


 "Why not?'' Wilson demanded, half ir- ritably. "The secret is out. Everybody knows who you are. And now, because a boy who wouldn't have lived any how"
 That's not it." K. put in hastily. q know all that. I guess I could do it and get away with it as we'll as the average. All that deters me-rve never told you, have I, why gave up be- fore?"
 Wilson was propped up in his bed. K. was walking restlessly about the room, as was his habit when troubled.
 "Pve heard the gossip; that's all"
 You know what I always felt about the profession, Max. We went into that more than once in Berlin. Either ones best or nothing. I had done pretty well. When I left Lorch and built my own hospital, I hadn't doubt of myself. And because was getting results I got lot of advertising. Men began coming to the clinics. 1 found I was making enough out of the patients who could pay to add few free wards. I want to tell you now, Wilson, that the opening of those free wards was the greatest self-indulgence ever per- mitted myself. I'd seen so much care less attention given the poor-well, never mind that. It was almost three years ago that things began to go wrong. I lost a big case"
 q know. All this doesn't influence me. Edwardes."
 Walt a moment. We had a system in the operating room as perfect as I could devise it. I never finished an operation without having my first as- sistant verify the clip and sponge count. But that first case died because sponge had been left in the operating field. You know how those things go; you can't always see them, and one goes by the count, after reasonable caution. Then I almost lost another case in the same way-a free case.
 "As we'll as could tell, the precau- tions had not been relaxed. I was do- ing from four to six cases day. After the second one I almost went crazy. I made up my mind, if there was ever another, I'd give up and go away"
 There was another?"
 Mot for several months. When the last case died. free case again, per formed my own autopsy. I allowed only my first assistant in the room. He was almost as frenzied as I was. It was the same thing again. When told him l was going away, he offered to take the blame himself, to say he had closed the incision. He tried to make me think he was responsible. I knew-better."
 Its incredible"
 Exactly; but it's true. The last pa- tient was laborer. He left family. I've sent them money from time to time. used to sit and think about the children he left, and what would become of them. The ironic part of it was that, for all that had happened, I was buster all the time. Men were sending me cases from all over the country. It was either stay and keep on working, with that chance, or-quit. I quit"
 But if you had stayed, and taken extra precautions-"
 "We'd taken every precaution we knew"
 Neither of the men spoke for time. K. stood, his tall figure outlined against the window.
 That's the worst, is it?'' Max Will son demanded at last.
 That's enough"
 Its extremely significant. You had an enemy Somewhere-on your staff probably. This profession of ours is big one, but you know its jealousies. Let man get his shoulders above the crowd, and the pack is after him." He laughed little. Mixed figure, but you know what mean"
 K. shook his head. He had had that gift of the big man everywhere, in every profession, of securing the loyal ty of his followers. He would have trusted every one of them with his life.
 You're going to do 1t, of course"
 Take up your work?'
 'Yes."
 He stirred restlessly. To stay on, to be near Sidney, perhaps to stand by as Wilson's best man when she was married-it turned him cold. But he did not give decided negative. The sick man was flushed and growing fret tul; it would not do to irritate him.
 Give me another day on it." he said at last. And so the matter stood.
 Max's injury had been productive of good, in one way. It had brought the two brothers closer together. In the mornings Max was restless until Doc tor Ed arrived. When he came, he brought books in the shabby bag-his beloved Burns, although he needed no book for that. the 'Pickwick Papers" henan's Hives of the Disciples" Very often Max would doze off; but at the cessation of Doctor Eds sonorous voice the sick man would stir fretfully