Show 0 N sr CHAPTER continued 17 did 3 you ou ever hear of E edwardes dw ardes the surgeon the edwardes operation you know well lies liere here it sounds like like a miracle they round found him sitting on a bench in ili the hall downstairs sidney raised her head but she could not see sec the miraculously found she could see tile the familiar faces of the stall and that other face on oa the pillow and she gave a iddle little cry there was KI now like him to be there to be ever anyone was rus in trouble 1 tears came to her yes the first tears she had ad shed As it her eyes eves had bad called him he looked up and saw her ne ile camo toward her at once the stat star stood back bach to lot let him pass and gazed after him the wonder of what had happened was growing on them K stood beside sidney and looked down at her just at first it seemed as if lie he found nothing to say then theres just a chance sidney dear dont count too much on it if you will wait somewhere near ill see that you have immediate word 1 I am going to the operating room tot not to the operating room somewhere near his steady voice controlled her hysteria cut but she resented it she was not herself of course what with strain and wen weariness 1 I viall aall ask doctor edwardes he w as puzzled tor for a moment then he understood after all it was as well the thing that really mattered was that he be must try to save wilson for her if lie failed she might hate B him the rest of her life not for himself but for his failure whichever way ay things went he must lose lose doctor edwardes says you are to any away from the operation but to remain near ile he he promises to call you yon if things go wrong she had to be content with that nothing about that night was real to sidney slie she sat in the anesthetizing room and after a time she knew that she ahe was not alone there was somebody else she realized dully that carlotta was there too pacing up and down the little room she was never frare care for instance whether she imagined it or whether carlotta really stopped before her and surveyed her alth with burning eyes so you thought he was going to marry you said carlotta or the dream well you see he sidney tried to answer and failed bor m that was the way the dream went it if you had enough character id think you did it how do I 1 know you follow us and shoot him as te he left the room it must have been reality after nil all for kidneys Sid numbed mind grasped the essential fact here and held on to it ile he had been out with carlotta lie he laid lad promised sworn that tills this should not happen it had happened it surprised her it seemed as if nothing more could hurt her in the movement to and from the operating room the alie door stood open for a moment A tall figure how much it looked like KA K straightened and he held d out something in its hand the bullet said carlotta in a whisper irh isper then more waiting a stir of movement sn in the room beyond the closed door carlotta was standing her face buried in her hands against the door sidney suddenly felt sorry for her she cared a great deal it must be tragic to care like eliat she herself was not caring much she was too cramb the city still slept but the torturing night wa was s over and in the gray dawn the de staff S off looking gray too lad and elderly bed and weary came out through the closed door and took their hushed bushed way toward the elevator aliey were talking among union themselves sidney straining her ears gathered that they had seen a miracle and that the wonder ras still on them caraotta Ca followed them out almost on their heels came K r ile he was in iii the white coat and more an and d more ore he looked like the man who had raised up from his work mork and he held 1 1 out something la in his hand kidneys Sid licad head was telling aching and confused cont used the tall van can or was it K looked at her nud and then reached up and turned oft off the electric light when the lightmas light ligh wag out everything was wag gray she could biot see sec she slid very quietly out ot of her chair and lay at his teet feet in a idaa faint IL tarried carried her to the elevator lie ile held her as he be had hold held her that day at the park hen ahe he fell la in the river ir tery 7 carefully tenderly as one holds j something infinitely not kot un 1 11 he had find placed her on her bed did she ehe open her eyes put cut she was decious before that she was so tired end and to be carried like that in strong firms arms not knowing where one was go ing anfe or caring the burne he had summoned hustled t for arunia tic ammonia sidney lying aloag her pillows looked up tt lit how Is he A little better theres a chance tar 1 I have been so BO mixed up all the time I 1 was sitting walling waiting I 1 kept it was you who were wera operating I 1 I 1 will he really get well it looks promising III 1 I should like to thank doctor edwardes tile nurse was a long time setting getting the ammonia but something had bap happened to K that savored of the marvelous mis ills falth faith in himself was coming bick back not strongly with a rush but with an all humility ile iio had bad been loath to take up the burden but now that lie he had it lie he breathed a sort sort of inarticulate prayer to be able to carry it sidney held out her land to him what sho do without you K she asked wistfully all you have to do Is to want me ills voice was not too steady and lie ho took her pulse in a most businesslike way to distract her attention from it but as lie he rose from the chair beside her low bed she put out her hand to him IX f yes dear ile he was out with carlotta lie ile promised and he broke his promise there may have been reasons suppose we wait until he can explain now how can he be explain arid and when he hesitated 1 I bring all my troubles to you as if you had none somehow I 1 cant go to aunt harriet and of course mother carlotta cares a great deal for him she said that I 1 shot does anyone really think that of course not nol please stop thinking she stirred restlessly what time Is it half past six 1 I must get up and go on duty ile he was glad to be stern with her lie ile forbade her rising when the nurse came caine in with the belated ammonia she found IC making an arbitrary ruling and sidney looking up at him mutinously miss page Is not to go on duty today she is to stay la in bed until further orders very well doctor edwardes the confusion in kidneys Sid mind cleared away suddenly ac K was doctor edwardes I 1 it was az K who had performed the miracle oper operation atlon IC who had dared and perhaps weal dear IC with his steady eyes and his long surgeons fingers then because she seemed to see ahead as well as back into the past in that flash that comes to the drow drowning nim and to those recovering from shock and because she h knew new that now the little house would no longer be home bomb to EZ K she turned her face into her pillow and cried her world had fallen indeed her bor lover was not true and might be ayli her friend would go away to his own world which was not the street K left her at last and went back ito to sevea seventeen teen where doctor ed still sat by the bed inaction was telling on him if max bias would only open his eyes so he could tell him what had been in ills his mind all these scars ears his pride in him and all that 0 with a sort of belated desire to make up tor for where he had failed lie he v very well doctor edwardes 11 put the bag that had been maxs bete noire on the bedside table and began to clear it of rubbish odd bits of dirty cotton the tubing from a long defunct stethoscope glass from a broken bottle a scrap of paper on which was a memorandum in his illegible writing to send scud max a check for his graduating suit when K came in lie had the old dog collar in his hand belonged to an old collie of ours he said lica heavily illy Mil milkman kinan ran over him and killed him max mas chased the wagon and licked the driver with his own whip I 1 ills race worked poor old bobby bilins burns I 1 he said wed raised him from u pup got get him la in a grape basket the sick man opened ills his eyes CHAPTER max 11 had nd rallied well and thin things gs looked bright tor for him HIS patient did not need him but ac X was anxious to find joe so he telephoned the gus gas office and got a day off for the present at least K Ks s revealed identity was safe hospitals keep hoop their secrets well and it Is doubtful I 1 it f the street would have been greatly concerned even had it known it had never heard of ed of the edwardes edwar jos clinic or the edwardes operation its medical knoN knowledge comprised the two wilsons and the osteopath around the corner when as would happen soon it learned of max wilsons Wil sons injury it would be more concerned with ills his chances of recovery than with the manner of it that was as it should bo be but joes affair with sidney had been the talk of the neighborhood if the boy disappeared a scandal would be lacil inevitable table twenty people had seen him tit at and would know him again to save joe then was IC I C s first at first it seemed us as it if the boy had frustrated liim him lie ile had not been home ill all night christine waylaying way laying K in tile little hall told him that mrs drummond was hero here she said she is almost fr frantic antle she says joe has not been home all night she sayat say lie he looks up to you and she thought it if you could find liim him and would talk to him joe was nith TV ath me last night we had bad slipper at the white springs hotel tell mrs drummond he was in good spirits and that ashes not to worry I 1 feel sure she shewell awill hear from him today something wont went wrong with ills his car perhaps after he left I 1 I 1 me lie ile bathed and shaved hurriedly katle katie brought his coffee to his room and arid ho he drank it standing As he went down the street he saw sirs mrs menee mekee in her doorway with a little knot of people around her the street was getting the nights ligias news ile he r rented a car at a local garage and drove himself out into the country ue ile was not minded to have any ees on him that day lie ile went to liters first himself kasnot was not in sight bill the bartender was scrubbing the porch and a farm hand was gathering bottles from the grass into a box bos the dead lanterns swung in the morning air and from back on the hill came the staccato sounds of a reaping machine wheres at the barn bill grinned ile he recognized K and mopping dry a part of the porch shoved a chair on it sit down well hows the man who gofhus last night dead an no 0 1 1 county detectives were here bright and early after the ladys husband I 1 guess we lose our license over this bill did you see the man who tired fired that night A sort of haze came over bills face as if lie had dropped a curtain before ills eyes but his reply came promptly surest thin thing in the world close to him as vou are to me dark man about thirty small mustache P bill youre lying and I 1 know it where Is he the barkeeper kept his head but his color changed 1 I dont know anything about him lie ile thrust his bis mop moll into the pall pail J K rose the farmhand farmland far had filled his box and disappeared around tile the corner of the house K X put ills hand on bills eidis shirt sleeved arm got to get him away here mil bill the county men may come back to search the premises how do I 1 know 3 sou ou arent one ol of them 1 I guess you know im not lies hes a friend of mine As a matter ot of tact fact I 1 followed him hero here but I 1 was too late did lie he take the revolver n way away a with anith himl him 1 I took it from him its under the bar get it for me from inside tile the bar bill took a careful survey of le moyne lie ile noted ills his tall figure and shabby suit the slight stoop the hair bair gracing over oner his ears cars barkeepers Bar keepers know men part of the job after ills his survey lie he went behind the bar and got the revolver from under an overturned pall 1 K thrust it into ills his pocket now he said quietly where Is he be in my room top of the house K followed bill up the stairs down N which lich he had carried wilsons Wll Wil sons unconscious figure tito the room under the eaves was stifling an unmade bed stood in a coiner joe was sitting lu in the corner farthest from the window when the door swung open he looked up ile he showed no interest on seeing ac K who mho had to stoop to enter the low room hello lello I joe 1 I thought you were the pouce police Is lie dead no lir indeed deed 1 I wish id killed him oh no you dont youre glad you and so am L I 1 llull 11 K hat bat down on the bed loud loua calls from below tools took bill out of the room As be closed the door behind him K N s voice took on oil a now tone joe why did you do it you know dont go into that I 1 did it and ill stand by it lias has it occurred to you that you made a mistake go and tell that to somebody believe you I 1 he sneered they came here and took a room I 1 net met him com ing ine out of it id do it again it if I 1 had a chance and do it better iatter it ft was not sidney aw chuck it avs its a fret feet J 1 got here not two minutes after you left iotti the girl was still there it was someone else sidney was not out of the hospital last night she attended a lecture and then an operation joe listened it was undoubtedly a relief relict to him to know that it had not been sidney but if 1 K expected any remorse he be did not get it IL if he Is that sort he deserves what he got said the boy grimly arid and K X had bad no reply hut but joe was glad to talk K got it by degrees his mad land night flight into the darkness until ills gasoline gave out his resolve to walk back and surrender himself it at so that there could be no mistake as to who had committed the crime 1 I intended to write a confession and then shoot myself lie he told K X but 1 M r if k 1 I T 1 I 1 thought you were the police the barkeeper got my gun out ot of my pocket and after a pause does she know who did it sidney no then if he gets better shell marry him anyhow possibly not up to us joe the tiling weve got to do Is to hush this thing up and get you away id go to cuba but I 1 haven the money K X rose 1 I think I 1 can get it ile he turned in the doorway sidney need never know who did it im not ashamed of jt it but his face showed relief there are times when some cataclysm tears down dowa the walls of reserve between men that time had come for joe and to a lesser extent for K X the boy rose and followed him to the door why dont you tell her the whole thing the whole filthy story he asked shed never look at him again youre crazy about her I 1 got a chance it would give you one 1 I want her god knows said K cut but not that way boy III III 0 the five eve thousand dollar check from ur mr lorenz had saved palmer bowes nowes credit on the strength of tho the deposit he borrowed money at the bank with which lie he meant to pay his bills arrears at the university and country clubs a hundred dollars lost throwing aces with poker dice and various small obligations of 0 christides Chri stines the immediate result of the money was good ile he drank nothing for a week went into the details of the new venture with Chri christides stines father fat lier sat bat at home with christine on her balcony in the evenings with tile the knowledge that lie he could pay his debts lie he postponed the day lie ile liked the feeling of a bank account in four figures christine had been making a fight although her heart was only halt half in it she was resolutely good humored ignored the past dressed for rainier palmer in the alie things lie he liked they still took their dinners at the lorenz house up the street when she saw that the haphazard table service there irritated him she coaxed her mother into getting a butlin the street sniffed at the butler behind his stately back secretly and in |