The Dermott news., 1917-05-10
CHAPTER XxV.-Continued.


boy who wouldn't have lived any
how
That's NOT It," X put in hastily. II
know all that. | guess l could do ii
and get away with it rs well as the
average. All that deters me-I've never
told you, have l, why l gave up be-
fore?'
Wilson was propped up in his bed.
X. was walking restleSsly about the
room. as was his habit when troubled.
"Ive heard the gossip; that's all.
"You know what always felt about
the profession. Max. We went into
that more than once in Berlin. Either
ones best or nothing. | had done
pretty well. When l left Torch and
:. built my own hospital. l hadn't doubt
- Of myself And because ! was getting
q results got lot of advertising. Men
began coming to the clinics. | found |
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 seif-indulgence | ever per-
united myself. I'd seen so much care
less attention given the poor-well,
pever mind that. Ii was almost three
YEARS ago that things began To go
wrong. lost II big case"
II know All this doesn't influence
me, Edwardes."
wait moment. We had system
in the operating room as perfect rs l
could devise IL. | never finished an
operation without having my first rs
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 90:
you cant always see them. and one
goes by the count. after reasonable
caution. Then almost lost another
case In the same way--a free case.
"As we'll as l could tell. the precau-
lions had not been relaxed. | WAS do
ing from four 10 six eases day After
the second one | almost went crazy. |
made up my mind. II there wis ever
another, Id give up and 40 away.
There was anotherT"
Not for several months. When the
last case died. n free case again, | per
formed my own autopsy. | allowed
only my first assistant in the room. He
was almost as freuzied ns | was. Ii
WITS the same thing again. When |
told him / WAS going away, he offered
To take the blame himself. To say he
had closed the ineIsion. He tried To
make me think he was responsible |
knew-better."
Its Incredible"
Exactly; but it's true The last pa
tient was a 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 1t
was that, for all that had happened
was buster all the time. Men were
sending me cases from all over the
country. IL was either stay and keep
on working. with that chance. or--qult
l quit"
But II you had stayed. and taken
extra precautions"
"We'd taken every precaution we
knew"
Neither of the men spoke for time
X. stood, his tall figure outlined against
the window.
That's the worst. is it," Max Will
son demanded ut last.
That's enough"
ATS extremely significant. You had
an enemy somewhere-on your staff
probably This profession OF ours Is n
big one. but You know its jealousles.
Let man get his shoulders above the
crowd, and the pack Is after him." He
laughed little. mixed figure, but
you know what | mean"
X. shook his head. He had had that
gift OF the big man everywhere, In
every profession. of securing the loyal
~ 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 restlessy. To stay on. To
be near Sidney. perhaps To stand by
us Wilson's best man when she was
marriott turned him cold. But he
did not give decided negative. The
sick man WAS flushed and growing fret
full II 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. II 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"
Remains Lives of the Disciples" Very
often Max would doZe on (; but at the 1
cessation of Doctor Eds sonorous
voice the sick man would stir fretfully |
and demand more. II pleased the older /
man vastly. Ii reminded him of Max's
boyhood. when he had read To Max ut
night. For once In the last dozen /