The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-10


ished.
If for her it was the end, so surely
it would be for Marthe, at the last.
Only Marthe would linger and linger
and die long afterwards, dreadfully.
That was a thing of which she must
think. How Marthe might be saved
self at high noon when the road had
seemed clear and safe.
Yet--how could she Think? What
attention could she give to anything,
with the weight of her own fate heavy
on her thoughts?
She went back to the room, and
Marthe asked her anxiously for the doc
tors verdict.
at is nothing" she said. Nothing.
Only that am a little run down--the
heat-and everything. He win give
me medicine"
1t reminded her that Marthe must
mott know, and that she must see La
pierre and warn him against divulg-
ing it.
CHAPTER 14--ONE YEAR TO LIVE
The following morning she saw La
pierre again.
At her request he conducted another
examination. She thought he seemed
tautened, like a bow-string, strained,
ready to tremble at the slightest touch,
and she conceived that it was because
Of her condition that he was in this
state. She felt grateful to him for his
solicitude.
The examination concluded, he re-
peated his judgment. 1t would be a
year. This thing was not usually found
primarily in the lung, but when it was
then there was no hope. She hardly
gathered the true nature of it, for the
word he used--sarcoma--had no mean
ing to her, and she was too stricken to
cit is definite, then, doctor" She
was very quiet and steady, although
unlike what she had been the previous
Absolutely" he said. Absolutely.
Elise-I am sorry" His tone expressed
not SO much sympathy as apology for
fault.
She smiled wanly. "YOu should not
be sorry, doctor. 1t is Just my mis-.
fortune-mine and Marines"
"Ah-Marthe." He watched her
steadily.
She said: "Can nothing be done?
NothingY
He shrugged his shoulders. There
is the knife. But in the lung, you will
understand, there is little chance. 1t
might mean death at once instead of
later, and the chances of success are
so infinitesimal that the risk is not
worth while"
81 see. must face it, then"
ELISE! What are you going to do:'
The good God alone knows, doctor.
I am thinking that Marthe win die
when am gone. You see, when you
told me yesterday my. first thought
was that / was to leave the world, that
mine was all the loss. Then / began
to realize how selfish that was, and
how wrong; and remembered Marthe.
1t is Marthe who viii suffer when my
Sufferings are over" N
Perhaps" He was lingering his
stethoscope nervously. There is a
way, Elise. could care for Marthe."
"DoctorI' Her face was alight. She
sought for his hand as though to kiss
it. That you should say that! That
you should be so noble
1t was not what he expected. and he
checked her speech by drawing his hand
from her grasp. He was little shamed
by the nobility Of intention she had
credited him with, yet he could not &C.
cept it, but must go on, driven by his
desire for her.
1T is hardly that, Elise. But-you
will remember our talk some time ago
when said 1 would care for Marthe
still want to marry you, Elise"
She was shaken by it. She had
thought him generous and wonderful
Oh h. he ka1 ~.
now he had destroyed the illusion and
the pendulum Of her apprecia ton
swung full arc in the other direction.
"YOu would want this broken body
Of mine for payment She hardly
knew what she said.
ELISE % He was hoarse with sudden
passion. sit is not that. But / love
you-love you'll Just to hold you
once. To have you with me, even for
year. And would care for Marthe.
She would be always looked after and
as happy as it is possible for her to be.
Alwaysw
His eyes dropped a little before her
steady gaze. She was more dreadfully
calm than ever he had seen her.
"It is payment" she said. You can
not deny it. You know l cannot live
beyond a year, and that afterwards,
if consented, you would have to pro-
vide for Marthe all through her life.
The result is the same for you. what
ever happens. If you are willing to
provide for Marthe. why demand from
me asacrifice which you know is alb
horrent to me?"
"You refuse then?" He asked the
question quickly, his eyes ablaze.
'I-refuse !" The surge of his anger
frightened her, for she was in no con-
dition to Withstand it.
IAN right" He put the tethoscope
down, and now all the change which
had been wrought in him over the past
weeks seemed gathered into a great
malignAncy. "You refuse to grant me
this, that your sister may be happy.
You cannot expect me to worry any
more. You will die-and then we shall
see."
He turned away, and for a moment
she had an almost overwhelming i'm
pulse to run to his side and clutch his
arm, to tell him not to heed her, that
she would do anything to insure Mar
the's future. But something restrained
her, and abe walked TO the door.
It was only when she opened Il and