The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-12-25

Only by the sense OF touch could
the thing in fact be done. The bull
let had ripped into Dams abdomen;
its course must be traced and all
its ravages repaired. And to do
this, the eye was relatively useless;
it was necessary that probing fin
gers should seek out the rents that
must be closed.
And Doctor Breeding thought,
with a deep wonder, that his hands
had never better performed their
task than now. He had not even to
direct them with his eyes.
While he worked, change by
slow degrees took place in him. He
began to be able to look with clear
eye upon himself and upon the
world.
He saw Nancy clearly, and per-
haps for the first time. He compre-
hended her love for Dan, and he
comprehended in all its implications
her love for himself too. So many
times he had hurt her, wounded
her, frightened her; and yet always
there dwelt in her a love for him
that, no matter how often he
spurned it, was still ready to offer
him tenderness and comforting.
And Doctor Breeding thought of
Mary Ann, so bravely steady now,
vigorously controlling all the sor-
row and terror she must feel, on
the slim chance that she might, by
strength, save Dan. Of Mary Ann,
who loved Terrell enough so that
even after his shot struck down her
brother, she could offer him forgive
ness and comfort with an unasked
kiss.
She loved Terrell, would be happy
with him. But-could she ever be
happy with him if Dan, whom Jer-
rell had shot, should die?
And Doctor Breeding thought Of
Dan, so near death now, whose
crime had been no more than that
Nancy loved him. And as Doctor
Greetings thoughts thus spun and
swirled, he began to feel himself
utterly alone. By the interviewer
loves which bound these others to-
gether-Nancy and Dan, Dan and
Mary Ann, Mary Ann and Terrell
h. felt himself hopelessly excluded.
Their lives were full without him.
There was no one to whom he, his
life, was indispensable. No one now
in the living world.
He was lonely for Myra, for his
wife. Through all the years of his
manhood she had been welded to
his side. He realized, suddenly, that
where she who had been flesh of
his flesh had been torn away, there
remained an open wound that would
never close.
Flesh of his flesh; and-torn away
by his own hand! He accepted this
fact with all that it implied; and
he remembered with a wry smile
something Professor Carlisle had
said, long ago. Something about
the unwisdom of supping with the
devil, unless one had long spoon!
He had paid no heed to that eau
ton, at the time; but it was too
late for wisdom now. His fingers
were already burned.
With a rising pride he watched
these fingers of his, working here
so skillfully. Burned or not, they
could still work miracles when he
chose.
And suddenly Doctor Breeding re-
allied that he did so choose; that
he wished, deeply and profoundly
and with a certain desperation, to
work now a miracle for Dan. He
wished it just as man swept by a
strong current toward the crest of
cataract wishes to cling to the
stout rope which chance has thrown
within his reach and grasp. To
save Dan might not suffice to-save
himself. Yet Doctor Breeding re-
allied, with a sort of pride, that
this did not greatly matter. It was
of others he was thinking now.
AS he had wished death for 9TH
ers, and even a while ago for Dan
himself, so now he wished life for
Dan. For the sake of Mary Ann,
that she might be happy with Jer-
ren; for the sake of Nancy and
her love; for Dams own sake, he
wished Dan to live! This wish was
like a humble prayer.
J ITO BE CONTINUED