The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-01-01
"rm all right" he protested. "rn

There was rising in him a deep af-
lection for these folk, a new per-
ception of the kindness and under
standing in them all. Terrell, for in
stance, had not offered to throw the
resources of his wealth at their
disposal; his silence seemed to as
sumo that whatever could be done
for Dan, they would do. Some men,
Doctor Breeding reflected, would
have displayed the arrogance
natural to financial power; would
have insisted on summoning other
physicians, nurses, on importing
hospital facilities of every kino. He
liked Terrell for his reticence in
this direction.
And Doctor Breeding had, where
the others were concerned, even
more personal reasons for graft
tude. The accident to Dan was,
after all, his fault; and Nancy, and
Dan too-since they were familiar
with frearms-must know this. Yet
neither reproached him, or offered
him blame.
He welcomed Professor Carlisle's
coming as an opportunity for con-
fession, hoping by an open admis-
sion of his culpability to ease his
own heart; and he took the first con-
venient occasion. He and Terrell
were in the big iving-room; Mary
Ann and Nancy and Professor Car
Isle were with Dan in the dining
room, the length of the house away.
Then Professor Carlisle came back
from Dams side; and he asked Doc
tor Breeding:
"You think he has a chance, Doc
tor? Mary Ann says that is your
opinion"
81 believe so, yes," Doctor Greed
ing assented. And he said, to Jer-
ren as well as to Professor Car
Isle: 81 hope so. Because, Pro-
lessor, this was not Jerrell's fault:
it was mine"
Terrell protested generously:
Hardly, Ned. 1t was my clumsi-
ness"
But Professor Carlisle waited,
watching Doctor Breeding; and the
surgeon said explicitly:
mo, Ira" He spoke to Dams
father. "You see, Professor Car
Isle, 1 had just fired the pistol. I
removed the empty clip, thinking I
had fired the last cartridge. Most
accidents with automatics occur
through just such carelessness as
mine. I should have worked the
action to be sure that the barrel was
empty. I neglected to do this. I
should have made sure the gun was
empty before giving it to Terrell"
He smiled frankly. "No one has
blamed me-" he confessed.
"They've all been mighty kind and
generous. But it was my fault, just
the same"
Neither man spoke; and he added
honestly:
"As a matter of fact, this was
worse than carelessness. With that
particular pistol, if the barrel is
empty, the action stays half-open.
The fact that it was closed should
have warned me that there was still
a cartridge in the barrel. I was in
credibly stupid"
There was a moments silence.
Then Terrell said uncomfortably:
Decent of you to say that, Ned.
But after all, If I hadn't pointed the
gun at Dan"
He added, in an incredulous rec
objection: 81 didn't mean to, tried
not to. I can't understand it, ev-
en- now. It was exactly as if some
ones hand, on mine, swung the pis-
toll toward Dan"
eff it had been empty, yoL could
have done no HARM" Doctor Creed
ing insisted.
Professor Carlisle looked keenly
at the Doctor. ''No one is-blam-
able for an accident" he remarked.
"This of course was an accident.
Let it rest So"
And he repeated his question of a
moment before. "You think he will
recover?"
eyes"
"Why?" the older man inquired.
"On what signs do you rely?"
Doctor Breeding hesitated, shook
his head, smiled. 81 don't know"
he said. Instinct. A guess, per-
haps." He chuckled. COR it may
be that Pm relying on my luck. I
was born under q caul, Professor.
The old women say that's sign of
luck, you know; and I've always
been lucky, certainly"
Professor Carlisle sat down, al
most suddenly, as though he were
tired. His eyes still on Doctor
Greetings face, he filed his pipe
and lighted it. So presently he
spoke.
"Born under a caul, were you,
Doctor?" he repeated thoughtfully.
And he said: 81 remember you
once told me some strange expert
ences of a friend of yours, who
was also born under a caul."
Doctor Breeding felt his cheek
flame; then the blood drained away,
and he cursed his folly, his own
loose tongue. There was no accusa-
ton in the Professors tone: vet