The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-05-04
CHAPTER xxIT-Continued.

ibid you ever hear of Edwardes, the
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
to 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
him. The wonder of what had hap
pened was growing on them.
K. 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"
81 am going to the operating room"
mot to the operating room. Some
where near"
His steady voice controlled her hys-
seria. But she resented 1t. She was
0ot herself, Of course, what with strain
and WEAKNESS.
Il shall ask Doctor Edwardes."
He was puzzled for q moment. Then
he understood. After all, it was as
well. The thing that really mattered
was that he must try to save Wilson
for 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
remain 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, and after a time she knew that
she was not alone. There was some
body else. She realized duly that Car
lotta 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 Carlotta-or the
dream. swell, you see he isn't"
Sidney tried to answer, and failed
or that was the way the dream went. |
"f you had enough character, I'd |
think you did it. How do know you
didn't follow us, and shoot him as
he left the room"
1t must have been reality after all:
for Sidney's numbed mind grasped the
essential fact here, and held on to it.
He had been out with Carlotta. He
had promised-sworn 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
for a moment. A tall figure-how
much it looked like K. Strengthened
and held out something in its hand.
"The bulletp said Carlotta in a
Then more waiting, a stir of move
nent in the room beyond the closed
1oor Carlotta was standing her face
,uried in her hands, against the door.
Sidney suddenly felt sorry for her.
She cared a great deal. 1t must be
ragic to care like thatl She herself
vas not caring much; she was too
,umb.
The city still slept, but the torturing
light was over. And in the gray dawn
lie staff, looking gray, too, and elderly
md weary, came out through the
lOsed door and took their hushed way
oward the elevator. They were talk
ng among themselves. Sidney, strain
ng her ears, gathered that they had
cen a miracle, and that the wonder
7as still on them.
Carlotta followed them out.
Almost on their heels came K. He
-as In the white coat, and more and
lore he looked like the man who had
aised up from his work and held out |
omething In his hand. Sidney's head
as aching and confused. The tall
lan-or was 1t K.?-looked at her,
nd then reached up and turned off
he electric light. When the light was
ut everything was gray. She could
ot see. She slid very quietly out of
er chair, and lay at his feet In =
sad faint.
K. carried her to the elevator. He
cid her as he had held her that day
!, the park when she fell in the river,
Try carefully, tenderly, as one holds pl
infinitely precious. Not I'M nc
he had placed her on her bed did to
le open her eyes. But she was con- di
ious before that. She was so tired, de
i'd to be carried like that, In strong Ike
ms, not knowing where one was 60 W,
G, or caring WI
The nurse he had summoned hustled or
It for aromatic ammonia. Sidney, he
ing among her pillows, looked up
x. he
How is her hi
"A little better. There's a chance, We
ar" ow
Il have been SO mixed up. All the