The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-10-10
CHAPTER Continued

THAT scalpel-quick I" he cried.
Joan started and stretched out her
hands toward the tray, which cleaned
afar off. elusively through black
cloud.
THE one handed you. Don't,
stare at me like fool"
Joan bent over the tray. putting out
one hand to the table to support her
self. She was conscious that every
: thing was suspended and that every
one was watching her. In the inter-
minable interval she heard the pa
TENTS gasping signs, as IL he was
breathing the last wisps of life away.
She fingered the instruments In the
tray feebly and neTvelessly, and her
hands seemed numbed and useless.
Her fingers closed on something and
brought it out. Then Lancaster's
hand closed over hers, tore 1t away.
and flung 1t back with splash. Joan's
hand dropped to her side, paralyzed
by the painful pressure. The next in
slant Lancaster had the scalpel and
whirled swiftly back toward the table,
upsetting the bichloride, which Tapped
over the patients feet.
The moments went by like hours.
At last Joan became aware. through
the sudden unraveling of the suspense,
that the crux of the operation was
over. Her head grew clear again. She
saw the assistant surgeons unfasten-
ing the artery clamps. The head
nurse rose to her feet, not looking at
the patient Joan realized that she
was crying, and her strong, epicene
face looked grotesque in grief. The
orderly came up. and together they
placed the patient on the stretcher..
And suddenly Joan knew that the
man was dead
AS the, stretcher was wheeled out of
the theater Lancaster turned toward
his visitors.
"a very successful piece of work."
he said. ITS pity the poor fellow
\ will never know how much have
done for him."
~ Joan felt the visiting surgeons dis
gust at the execrable jest. Lancaster
seemed to sense it, too.
Unfortunately" he continued "the
best of surgeons is not proof against
the stupidity of nurse"
And he turned upon Joan fercely.
What is your Manner he demanded.
Miss Wentworth. Doctor Lancas-
ter"
SWELL. you're no use here. You're
wasting your time. You've killed q
man this morning." he beloved. IF
can't have women about me with
rational heads on their shoulders I'll
get gang of Chinese chop suey men,
Get out and earn your living as ste
nographer or saleslady. That's all
your talents are fit for. Miss Went
worth!'
Joan looked at him in amazement.
At his first words, at his tone, she had
felt the shock of anger in her heart
gather itself and leap to meet his own.
But his rage frightened her, her head
ached, and she was sick from the
fumes which still penetrated the the
alter. She tried to answer him, but
could not utter word and broke into
tears instead, sobbing In complete
nervous abandonment.
Lancaster turned from her with
wry face. "Well. gentlemen" he said,
with an affectation of jovialness, "bet-
ter luck next time. I'm sorry the
operation was not successful. but,
after all. the patients life is not the
principal thing. The method was cor
rect, you see, but l did not reckon on
an incompetent assistant"
'.Put the blame on the anesthetic,
Doctor Lancaster" said a white
bearded surgeon. with chivalrous in
tent. with nephritis history opera
TONS useless. Better let them die
peacefully"
II did not quite grasp the technical
innovation you spoke of, Doctor Lam
caster" said another. ITO my mind
1t was the original Leonard operation.
except that"
"Why did you divide the arterial
coats below the site of the aneurism?"
Queried a third.
Lancaster led them from the the
ater. expostulating and explaining.
The dark-haired girl fingered with the
sponges. The assistant surgeons had
already gone hurriedly out. Joan put
her tray away. She still was unable
to control her sobs.
Suddenly Lancaster reappeared. fu-
rious after the cross-examination to
which he had been subjected. He
came straight toward Joan with a face
of malice. Unconscious of her pitiful
aspect as a child might have been.
she raised her streaming face and
looked at him. >
= ''You had no right to speak to me
like that, whatever did," she said.
-Whatever you did? Whatever you
failed TO do! What do you think you
are here fort" he stormed.
\ He glared at her, turned away. hes
itated. and then came back.
That's just the way with you
women" he cried. "You lost that case