Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-29

surgeons COulu not nave desired,
nor could they anywhere have found
more absolutely healthy, satsfac-
tory specimen to work with.
Joined to this. her rare intelligence
in understanding everything required,
in answering all questions, and in in.
te.preting every symptom, helped us
immeasureably. Her brain worked
with ours in entire harmony
The apparatus under every condi.
ton continued 20 function with abso-
lutte accuracy. The electric thermo-
stats. the phygmomanometer, hydro
scope, rayapparatus and 0xygenator.
together with all the other equipment,
fulfilled every requirement and sup
piled all needs, registering every va
ration with minuteness so close to
the absolute as to render the margin
Of error perfectly negligible. Success,
we all assumed-up to the very last
was now but matter of few days,
week more at the very outside.
The only disquieting factor now
was Vital Epxazy.
Brodeur, with the passage of time
and wi il the regular shifting OF our
watches by The bedside, NEE iured
well up to the conception ! had al.
ready formed OF him and to The finest
ethical standards of the pro! ossioa.
Patient tireless. painStaklng to Il
wonderful degree, always courteous
and smiling, he seemed the beau ideal
of the successful surgeon, Despite his
somewhat extravagant type of mind
and his mental flights into the realms
Of imagination, came to think of him
with deep admiration.
Ergazy, however, introduced some
alarming factors into all otherwise
perfect situation
AS the days passed and the work
became more and ever more eXaCting
on US all, he grew more irritable, less
precise in his judgments, inclined to
be wholly unreasonable and given to
arbitrary commands aud ACES. Bro
deur always made it point to discuss
matters with me. Vital, on the otn
er hand ordered things Gone without
explanation or discussion,
do this DO that" became his
attitude. This must be done at
once--I insist"
Even now, when all is over, still
recall those two words of his: 81
insist"
came to hate the man as much as
dreaded and despised him.
This change on the part of the
Polish surgeon, understood perfectly
well, was caused by an increased
dosage of the drug so subtly wreck
ing both his body and his mind. Yer,
obviously The morphin was working
Its fell way with him.
The man was growing daily more
erratic, nervous, and unreliable. Phys
ical manifestations Of his vice were
showing ever more and more plainly
His emaciation increased his skill
grew yellow and parchmontlike; hi
eye always shfty, became furtive ant
assumed vanished appearance
quite characteristic of morphlnism.
Though | cannot be certain, | be
lieve Andre protested with him OF
several occasions concerning his us'
of the drug, Sure it is that more thal
once heard them wrangllng ant
Qualreling with considerable bitter
ness.
But took good care not to minsl
In their differences. These were nom
Of my affair. My whole interest cen
tered in Alexandra. Beyond her wei
fare nothing mattered.
Despite all this, however the situa
ton was wearing hard on me.
lOnged ardently for the case to EN-
now quickly before any evil shoul
befall.
Came then all Unexpectedly the IL
tai and unforgetable night whereo
the rest of this narrative has to tel
Il was the 18th Of April, 1892. Al
other ran.storm had set in the eve
ming before. Now it had deyeope
torrential proportions, with stron
and rising wind that drove the rain /
(" a drumming downpour against tn
house, swashed down the windows
tattooed on the tin roof and spurte
from the overfull caves. turning III
/. paths. bel ween the hedges into luml