The Tomahawk., 1924-12-25
1T WAS
A TRUE
TEST
By MILDRED GooDRIDGE

and make all the arrange
ments for the test"
Perhaps few mOrtals have been In
the peculiarly strained and unnatural
situation of Doris Hemingway. She
was of the worlds obscure and hum
BILE, and scarcely the heroine or even
understudy for the upper crust ro-
nance. There was, however, beyond
the modest patient exterior soul of
rare worth. 1t shone out now In her
eager, anxious eyes.
The somber looking, thoughtful ply
stefan who proceeded to telephone
closet and was busy there for min
ute or two, was Prof. Alpheus Woods.
He had made q name and fortune
In his profession. Now he was fad
dist. At least so standard sources
designated him. for he had written
three extreme books on "Heredity,"
leading up to the audacious claim that
he could extinguish the criminal In
stinct in man, woman or child by a
simple surgical operation, and make
Of the most vicious mentally warped
assassin or thief an honorable, trust
worthy citizen.
A month previous Professor Woods
had interested the criminologists and
the local Jail authorities by asking
that they find subject for his test.
1t was intimated that any professional
criminal in custody who would sub
NIT to the operation should receive
his liberty.
1t was not so easy to find self-con-
fessed criminals who would run the
risk Of a dangerous operation. The
majority claimed to be inherently in
nocent as lambs, and trusted to the
lawyer rather than the surgeon to win
their freedom. At length Professor
Woods found typical case-Robert
Tyler, burglar, a man who freely adj
mitted that the impulse to rob was an
irresistible influence of his nature.
The world had badly mistreated
this man. A keen schemer had wrest-
ed a fortune from him through the
slippery deviations Of the law. In des-
peration Tyler had set at work to get
"even with the law" He had been
appealed to in the matter OF the
Woods test. He had wavered, de-
clined, but now to the satisfaction Of
Professor Woods a pleasing faced,
pleading-eyed girl had appeared at
his office to announce that she had
prevailed upon Robert Tyler to under
go the operation.
IT have phoned the sheriff" an
nounced the professor, returning to
his seat. Il have no doubt that Tyler
will be placed in my charge within
the hour"
"Oh, sir" breathed the girl fervent-
~, "do you think you can cure himT
81 have made my system a life
study" declared her host, with dig
nifty and assurance.
Listen. sir" went on Doris, earn
estly, "Mr. Tyler is not the desperate
criminal the world adjudges him. He
Is reckless, he Is tempted, but he has
been plundered, crushed down, in pow
erty until he believes all mankind his
enemy, but I-ah, yes, / know him.
At heart he is hero, martyr!
The professor regarded the soulful
eyes of this fair young pleader curl
ously. There was no installing her
sincerity.
"You are his relative-a sister. per-
hapsY he ventured.
"No. sir, am-that Is, love him !"
confessed Doris "Thief as he Is, I'M
der long sentence, I would marry
him tomorrow were he free. I, like
himself, am an orphan, and like him,
have tasted the bitter dregs of pow
erty. He risked his life to save me
from a burning building. AS might
the highest gentleman in the land,
secretly, nobly be saw that was
cared for when l was Ill. He loves
me; know it, but he would refuse
to let me share his disgrace, to- be-
come the wife of convicted thief.
Oh. sir, save him!" pleaded the girl
pathetically, bursting into tears. IF
YOU would do that, we would go away
to some place where we are moi
known, and 1 would slave for him,
to make him once more a man among
men,"
My pour Culu! opohC lhO pAo
fessor brokenly. placing a trembling
hand upon the bowed golden head
"for your sake l will exhaust all my
science in trying to save this mans
body and SOUL"
And so the honest enthusiast had
his chance. For a week Robert Tyler
lay under his care. The surgical op.
Grafton applied to the Uranium, cur
rent with vigorous medicinal treat
ment. At the end Of ten days the
professor announced that the test had
been completed and Tyler was free
man.
The newspapers were full Of the ~
pertinent. The professor proudly
hoped, and Doris prayed. and that
very night the professor discovered
that before he has left his home Rob
ert Tyler had blu. glarized one of his