Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1917-05-18
cHAPrER xxII-cOntInued.


surgeon? the Edwardes operation,
you know. Well, he's here. 1t sounds
like miracle. They found him sitting
on a bench in the hall downstairs"
+, Sidney raised her head, but she
could not see the miraculously found
Edwardes. She could see the familiar
faces Of the staff, and that other face
on the pillow, and-she gave a little
cry. There was K.l How like him
co be there, to be wherever anyone
was in troubled Tears came to her
eyes-the first tears she had shed.
AS If her eyes had called him, he
looked up and saw her. He came
toward her at once. The staff stood
back to let him pass, and gazed after
MINI The wonder of what had hap
pened was growing on them.
Il. stood beside Sidney, and looked
down at her Just at first it seemed
as if he found nothing to say. Then:
There's just chance, Sidney, dear.
Don't count too much on it. If you
will wait somewhere near, I'll see that
you have immediate word"
Il am going to the operating room"
''Not to the operating room. Some
where near"
His steady voice controlled he1 hys-
terra. But she resented it. She was
mot herself, of course, what with strain
and WEAKNESS.
II shall ask Doctor Edwardes."
He was puzzled for moment. Then
he understood. After all, it was as
well. The thing that really mattered
was that he must try to save Wilson
Cor her. If he failed, she might hate
him the rest of her life-not for HIM
self but for his failure. Whichever
Way things went, he must lose.
Doctor Edwardes says you are to
stay away from the operation, but to
eemain near He-he promises to call
you fittings go wrong.
She had to be content with that.
Nothing about that night Yves real to
Sidney. She sat in the anesthetizing
room, and after time she knew that
she was not alone. There was some
body else. She realized duly that Car
Aotta was there, too, pacing up and
down the little room. She was never
sure, for instance, whether she imag-
sned it, or whether Carlotta really
stopped before her and surveyed her
with burning eyes.
$50 you thought he was going to
marry you'll" said CarIotta-or the
dream. "Well, you see he isn't"
Sidney tried to answer, and failed
III hot A11o f11c f7roS1 M u0T7f
eff you had enough character, I'd
&hink you did it. How do know you
didn't follow u.s. and shoot him as
he left the rOom?"
1t must have been reality after all;
Sor Sidney'S numbed mind grasped the
essential fact here, and held on to it.
he had been out with CaF1otta. He
had promised that this should
not happen. 1t had happened. 1t sur
priSed her. 1t seemed as If nothing
more could hurt her.
In the movement to and from the
operating room. the door stood open
Cor moment. A tall figure how
much it looked like K. Strengthened
and held out something in It's hand.
'The buIletl" said Carlotta in a
whisper.
Then more waiting, stir Of move
ment In the room beyond the closed
door, CarlOtta was standing, her face
buried in her hands, against the door.
sidney suddenly felt sorry for her.
She cared great deal 1t must be
tragic to care like that She herself
was not caring much; she was too
numb.
The city still slept. but the torturing
might was over And in the gray dawn
ghe staff, looking gray, too, and elderly
Ind weary, came out through the
AAosed door and took their hushed way
toward the elevator. They were talk
ing among themselves. Sidney, strain
ing her ears, gathered that they had
seen a miracle, and that the wonder
was still on them.
CarlOtta followed them out.
Almost on their heels came f. He
was in the white coat, and more and
more he looked like the man who had
raised up from his work and held out
something in his hand. Sidney's head
was aching and confused. The tall
man--or was it K.?-looked at her,
and then reached up and turned off
the electric light. When the light was
out everything was gray. She could
not see. She slid very quietly out of
Der chair, 8nd lay at his feet In a
dead faint.
X. carried her to the elevator. He
held her as he had held her that day
at the park when she rull in the river,
very carefully, tenderly, as one holds
something infinitely precious. Not I'M
til he had placed her on her bed did
she open her eyes. But she was con-
Sclous before that. She was so tired,
and to be carried like that, In strong
arms, not knowing where one was go
Eng, or caring
The'nurse he had summoned hustled
out for aromatic ammonia. Sidney,
living among her DillOWs looked I'M