Evening star., 1936-01-07
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAflEh AAIt.
KR. AND MRS. TERRILL
M whose apartment Bob and
wv Kay were occupying, decided
u to spend the Winter on the
Riviera, so Bob extended their lease
and they continued their routine ex-
tstence here. They were come long
since to a settled and impersonal
relation. Bob had admitted Kay to
Share with him his work; ne talked
with her about its daily round and
about the experimental research upon
which he was steadily engaged, and
she spent the days when he was
away from her in the library, striving
to be intelligent upon these matters
which were his whole preoccupation.
Professional concerns furnished them
with a common ground, provided
them with conversation. Kay some
times thought, despite the satisfaction
she herself experienced in Bob's con-
fidence. that it was mistake for him
thus to bring his work home, thus
to go over and over the events of
each day. but she found him slow to
follow her when she spoke Of other
things.
They passed the Winter quietly.
Bob was satisfied at last that he had
mastered the particular problem which
had been for a while his whole con-
cern, but he was full nowadays of a
restless nervous energy which must
have outlet. He turned in another
direction, explained to Kay what he
was trying to do.
IT think if the pain of angina
could be relieved it might help pa
tients. perhaps save them" he said.
'It is the pain, in great degree, that
kills them. There's an operation that
has been worked out, involving dis
section from the back of the neck,
under the base of the skull. to find
the nerve and kill it or cut it. En-
tremely difficult, very possibly fatal.
But I'm going to work it up, and If
a patient comes along in eXtremiS
some day and is willing TO take the
chance, I'll try it
The routine calls upon his time
were heavy, and increasingly so. DR.
Fabre surrendered more and more
work into Bob's hands. Bob, neceS-
sarily. was greatly changed. He was,
Kay thought, sometimes almost hag-
gard from fatigue, and his eyes were
unnaturally bright. The calls upon
him during the night continued, with
an exaSperating frequency, so that he
seldom had any substantial amount
of sleep. He threatened again and
again to rebel, to demand that DR.
Fabre either provide another man
to share the load or increase Bob's
own salary, but Kay persistently dis
suaded him.
Some day." she promised, IAN en-
bolus will come along and you'll fix
1t, and then"
He shook his head grimly. "It'S
routine that makes good surgeons
not emergencies" he said. "A man
who can do an appendix right is a
lot more valuable than man who
can do one of these rare. exceptional
things. There are so many more ap-
pendices to do"
He had. nevertheless, achieved a
renown that began to be national
and as a result Of an almost acci-
dental procedure. That woman whose
stomach he had been forced entirely
to remove was still alive, and, although
1t was necessary for her to follow q
careful diet. and add to it certain
chemicals designed to replace those
digestive juices formerly provided by
her stomach. she was nevertheless
comfortable, in good health and able
to go about her daily walks of life
Bob made copious notes of her
progress; he had to write reports OF
the case for half a dozen different
medical journals.
Their social life necessarily suf-
fered from his absorption. Kay at
first made some effort to revive it;
she accepted an invitation or two
But Bob let his reluctance become
so apparent that she ceased this.
I'm too busy" he told her. Too