The Dolores star., 1924-11-14

| as your husbands i was spehkihk VI
IL to him last week. and he wishes to
make an examination"
Half an hour after the doctors came
| out of the sick mans room to the
woman, who had risen hastily from
her knees. She had been praying that
Curtin might live. The prayer was TO
be heard.
Doctor Stevens thinks that there
Is a chance TO cure your husband,
| said the physician. ut will necessi-
tate an operation" He hemmed lit
| tie. "Of course Doctor Stevens fees
are high, much higher than those OF
an ordinary practitioner" he contin-
ued.
Never mind the cost" said Anna
Foulkes. "Glve me back my husband
Excuse me, DOCTOR" said the physi-
clan, and the great man withdrew n
little way across the room. 1T Is
necessary to be businessllke, Mrs.
Foulkes." her doctor continued. HE
will operate for two hundred dollars
Two hundred dollars II Curtin died
that would be the last of the insur-
anCe money. But If he lived-whnt
years of toll And the idea of Grant
wich would have become ludicrously
absurd. Anna did not waver.
"wen, 1t must be done, of COURSE
she said. when can Doctor Stevens
operator
Now" answered the physician. I'm
fact, the sooner the better. To be
frank with you, Mrs. Foulkes. !
brought him here for that purpose"
If he had been franker he would
have been glad to have operated for
nothing. 1t was an unusual case, and
much was to be learned from 1t. As
n matter of fact, he would have paid
two hundred dollars for the expert
ence. But OF course Anna could not
know anything about that.
Get the table scrubbed" continued
the physician. And take down the
curtains. | have telephoned to the
hospital for nurse"
An hour later the fumes Of ether
began to permeate the cottage. The
white robed doctor and nurse were
working busily inside the parlor. Out
side Anna prayed.
She thought of her life with Curtin,
of those miserable years, his drunk
| enness, his dishonesty, the total wreck
of their happiness that they had made.
1t was partly her fault: Curtin had
been an average sort of man. But
she had high ideals, and, In fixing her
gaze on them she had forgotten to be
tolerant of human failings.
As she kneeled there 1t seemed to
her as though her single will were
fighting n lost battle against the will
of all these men, the united Wills Of
| tradesmen, Of the undertaken, Of the
physician and surgeon, even. AS in
vision she saw the terrific battle.
And there was one thing that all
depended on.
That was Charlie. His will, added
to either side, would change the situ-
alton. If he were against her, then
there was no hope.
A shadow fell across the floor She
looked up, to see the white face of
lll' DDN. All hE'lllLlns toNt
into her heart How like little man
he was! And he had always known
about his father, and never told her!
She rose and put her arms around
him.
Charlie, dear want you to under
stand" she said. IF your father dies.
his insurance money will take you to
Grantwich and give you an education
It will pay the bills of the tradesmen
| and the doctors. too, and the funeral
expenses. But If he llves-why. my
dear boy, there will be no more school
for you. 1t will be just one long and
dreadful battle for the rest of our
lives. You and will have to work as
hard rs we can work. What do you
want TO happen, Charlie?"
The boys lips quivered. 'I want
my father" he answered.
"In spite of all you must give up,
dcarY"
"Yes, mother" he answered.
Then, in that instant, Anna Foulkes
felt a sudden uplifting of her heart.
The boys will had turned the scale.
She felt 1t; she knew the devils
legions of tradesmen, doctors and all
the rabble rout were beaten.
Her heart went out to Curtin with
all the love of old time. She would
make man of him yet. Their lives
should begin again together from that
day forward.
There was a stir within the operat-
ing room. The surgeon came to the
door
Your husband will live, Mrs.
Foulkes," he said. There is no doubt
of it."
The nurse and the physician were
wheeling the unconscious man into
the bedroom, on the table. Anna
Foulkes looked after him with eyes
that swan with tears. Her prayer