The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-04-05
CHAPTER xxv.-contlnued.

" ooy WIZ WOulun nave lived any,
how"
That's not It," K. put in hastily. 81
know all that. l guess could do it
and get away with it as well as the
average. All that deters me-Tyc never
tod you, have l, why I gave up be-
fore?"
wilson was propped up in his bed.
II. was walking restlessly about the
room, as was his habit when troubled.
I've heard the gossip; that's ALL"
You know what always f. ..bout
the profession, Max. We w, into
that more than once in Berlin. Either
ones best or nothing l hnd done
pretty well. When left Lorch and
built my own hospital, hadn't a doubt
OF myself. And because was getting
results got Il lot Of advertising. Men
began coming to the clinics. found
was making enough out of the patients
VINO could pay to add Il few free wards.
1 want to tell you now, Wilson, that
the opening Of those free wards was
the greatest self-indulgence l ever per
mitted myself. I'd seen so much care
less attention given the poor-well
never mind that. 1t was almost three
years ago that things began to 20
wrong. lost big case"
II know. All this doesn't influence
me, Edwurdes."
wait moment. We had u system
III the operating room as perfect as |
could devise it. l never finished an
operation without having my first as
Slstant verify the clip and sponge
count. But that first case died because
:, sponge had been left in the operutin.
held. You know how those things 70 !:
you can't always see them, and one
goes by the count, after reasonable
caution. Then almost lost another
case in the same wny-a free case.
"As well as could tell, the precau-
tons had not been relaxed. I was do
:hs from four to six cases Il day. After
the second one almost went crazy. |
made up my mind, if there was ever
another, I'd give up and 70 nwuy."
There was another?"
Not for several months. When the
last case died. q free case again, per
formed my own autopsy. allowed
only my first assistant in the room. He
was almost as frenZied as l was. 1t
was the same thing again. When |
lold him | 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. |
knew-better."
ITS incredible"
Exactly; but it's true. The last pu-
tlent was laborer. He left Il 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 II
was that. for all that had happened. 1
was buster all the time. Men were
sending me cases from all over the
country. 1t was either stay and keep
on working, with that chance, or-ault.
I quit"
"But if you had stayed and taken
extra precautions"
"We'd taken every precaution ",
knew"
Neither Of the men spoke for q time.
X. 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 somewhcrc-on your staff
probably. This profession Of ours is a
big one, but you know It's jealouslcs.
Let Il man get his shoulders above tnc
crowd, and the pack is after him." He
laughed little 'Mixcd figure, tu;
you know what l mean"
X. 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 it, OF course"
Take up your work?"
eyes"
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
iul 1t would not do to irritate him.
dlVe me another day on it." he said
at last. And so the matter stood.
Maxs injury had been productive Of
good, IN one way. 1t 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 bnp-his
beloved Burns. although he needed no
book for that, the "Pickwick Papers"
Remains "Liyes Of the Disciples" Very
often Max would doze off; but at the
cessation of Doctor Eds sonorous
voice the sick man would stir fretfully
and demand more. 1t pleased the older
man vastly. 1t reminded him Of Max's
boyhood, when he had read to Max at
M