The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-11-15
The Hospital
Love Affair
By JUSTIN WENTWOOD

By JUSTIN WENTWOOD
As Doctor Kaempffert was about
to begin to operate, the face OF
the girl he had seen standing be-
side the injured mans bed rose be-
fore his eyes. again, vivid and clear.
1t was the face Of Marjorie Rem
ME. Four years had passed since
he had seen heretofore, and these
and an eternity Of desolation In his
soul. Marjorie and he had loved
each other and had been engaged
t. be married.
The quarrel that had separated
chem had been immaterial; 1t was
aOt the quarrel that separated
them, but pride. Pride on either
side, devastating pride that
brooked no softness and endured
no explanations.
So they had parted, and Doctor
Kaempffert had taken up his work
in the hospital again.
In those four years he had be-
come known as the most skillful
surgeon in the city In a certain op-
Grafton for sewing up ruptured ar
teries, most difficult process.
For. If by SLIP or misjudgment
he permitted q clot Of blood from
the wound to enter a large artery.
that would mean instant death.
And now he was seeing the girl
in the room again. She had known
him, her glance had betrayed that.
but all her thoughts were with
the injured man. her husband, Of
course.
you must save him." she had
said.
And he had promised.
And 1t was the hardest thing ia
| the world that he could have been
called upon to do. For, looking
into the white, unconscious face,
half hidden beneath the ether cone,
! he had hated it with hate that
knew no bounds and no limitations.
He hated this man who had taken
Marjorie from him with mortal
hate.
And so. hating him, he began the
operation.
The injuries had been severe:
the arteries had been clamped; but
now came the difficult process,
watched with hushed breath by the
attending physicians. With sure,
deft strokes, Kaempffert laid bare
the wound. He took the needle
and the catgut from the nurse and
began.
How easy to make that trifling
error. In so large IN artery, which
would permit the entrance Of q
clot! How easy to inflict the tiny
wound upon the walls that would
produce that clot within them! And
then If Marjorie were free
he knew he could win her back.
Again and again the temptation
came to him, but all the while his
disciplined fingers were quickly
! sewing up the walls.
And now it was done, and there
was no possibility Of yielding to
that temptation.
He stood back, breathing deep
sigh Of relief, contemplating the
unconscious man for q moment or
two. and then, with the aid OF his
assistant, proceeded to sew up the
external wound. And now that was
completed. the ether mask was re-
moved, and the unconscious man
was already beginning to move.
"Splendid, splendid!" murmured
a doctor at his side.
Kaempffert turned away without
answering. That was done. He
left the operating room. He went
into his private room. washed MS
hands. changed into his street
clothes. He must get away from
the hospital; he must not see Mar
jorie again.
A nurse was tapping at the door.
He strobe to It and opened it impa'
tiently.
"That lady wishes to see you. to
thank you."
"No. tell her I can't see her. !
am a busy man." answered Kaempf-
fert harshly.
"she's outside; she's here. doc
tor"
The nurse stepped hack. and Doc
tor Kaempffert saw Marjorie stand.
ing upon the threshold.
"He went to her. II think he's
an right. You mnst excuse me-"
he began confnsedly.
"Arthur!" The appeal In her
eyes was breaking down his resist.
ing power. He put ont one hand
IN futile protest. ils
.No. rlo-1 don't want 20 see you.
Marjorie" he said. "Your hia1-
hasnA Il ma rlDhf NOW He VIII