The Dolores star., 1917-06-29
CHAPTER xxII-centinusd.

oae1z2N0RT SY NENsc<A
CHAPTER xxiI-continusd
-17-
Ibid you ever hear Of Edwardes, the
G1rge0ns-the Edwardcs 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 stnff, and that other face
on the pillow, and-she give a little
cry. There was XII How like him
30 be there, to be wherever anyone
Wua In troubled Tears came to her
eyes-the first tears she had shed.
As II her eyes had called him. he
looked up and saw her. He came
coward her ut once. The staff stood
back to let him pass, and gazed after
him. The wonder Of what had hap
pened was growing on them.
x. stood beside Sidney. and looked
down at her. Just at flrst 1t seemed
a. II he found nothing to say. Then:
There's Just q chance. Sidney, dear.
Don't count too much on 1t. II you
win wait somewhere near. I'll see that
you have immediate word"
II Am going to the operating room"
SNct to the operating room. Some
where near"
His steady voice controlled her hys-
eefia. But she resented 1t. She was
not 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
Tor her. II he failed, she might hate
him the rest Of her llse-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
eemnin near. He-he promises to call
you fittings go wrong.
She had to be content with that.
Nothing about that night was real to
Sidney. She sat In the anesthetizing
room. aud after time she knew that
she was not alone. There was some
body else. She realized DULY that Car
lotta was there. tDo. pacing up and
DOWN the little room. She was never
sure. for instance. whether she imag-
aned Il, or whether Carlotta really
1tcRfeA before Der and surveyed her
gdth turning svSs
so you thought ne was going to
MARRY You I" said Carlotta-or the
dreem. "Well, you see he isn't
Sidney tried to answer, and failed
o. that was the way the dream went.
II you had enough character, I'd
tdink you did it. How do know you
didn't follow us. and shoot him as
he left the roomr
It must have been reality after all;
Tor Sidney's numbed mind grasped the
essential fact here, and held ON to 1t.
He had been out with Carlotta. He
had pr0mised-Sworn that this should
mot happen. It had happened. It sur
prised her. It seemed as II nothing
more could hurt her.
In the movement to and from the
operating room, the door stood open
for a moment. A tall fgure-how
much 1t looked like X. l-straightened
and held out something in Its hand.
'AThe bulletr' said Carlotta In a
whisper.
Then more waiting. q 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
night was over. And in the gray dawn
the stan. looking gray, too, and elderly
and weary, came out through the
closed 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 K. 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 tail
manor was 1t K.f-looked at her,
and then reached up and turned on
the electric light. When the light was
ont everything was gray. She could
not see. She slid very quietly out of
her chair, and lay at his feet In a
dead faint.
K. carried her to the elevator. He
held her as he had held her that day
at the park when she fell in the river,
very carefully, tenderly, as one holds
something infinitely precious. Not un-
I'll he had placed her ON her bed did
she open her eyes. But she was con-
scious before that She was SO tired.
and to be carried like that, In strong
arms, not knowing where one was go
lrQ Or rAring- ##A-. #I5