moking, thinking. Small talk seemed to
them profanation, and of that which was uppermost in each man's mind,
none cared first to speak. A subtle understanding, called telepathy,
was making of their several minds a thing united.

"No, not to-night, it's too beautiful," said De Young at length, and
the protesting voice sounded to his own ears as that of a stranger.

The men started at the sound, and the glowing tips of three cigars
described partial arcs in the half light as they turned each to each.
No one answered. They were face to face with fundamentals at last.

Minutes, an hour, passed. The cigars burned out, and as the pleasant
odor of tobacco died away, there came the chill night air of the
prairie. The two older men rose stiffly, and with a low good-night,
stumbled into the darkness of the shanty.

De Young sat alone in the doorway. He realized that it was the supreme
hour of his life. In his mind, memory of past and hope of future met
on the battlefield of the present, and meeting, mingled in chaos.
Thoughts came crowding upon each other thick--the thoughts which come
to few more than once in life, to multitudes, never; the thoughts
which writers in every language, during all time, have sought words to
express, and in vain.

Everywhere the snow-streams sang lower and lower. A fog, dense,
penetrating, born of early morning, wrapped all things about, uniting
and at the same time setting apart. Shivering, he shut the door on the
night and the damp, and as by instinct crept into bed. Listening in
the darkness, the sound of the sleepers soothed him. Happier thoughts
came, thoughts which made his heart beat more swiftly and his eyes
grow tender; for he was yet young, and love untold ever dwelleth near
heaven. Thus he fell asleep with a smile.

"Choose, please. We'll take our turns in the order of length," said De
Young, holding up the ends of three paper strips. Each man drew, and
in the silence that followed, without a word Morris turned away,
preparing swiftly for the operation.

"Give me chloroform," he said, stretching himself horizontally,--adding
as the others bent over him, "Inoculate deep, please. Let's not
waste time."

Swiftly, with the precision of absolute knowledge, the two physicians
did their work. A mist was over their eyes, so that all the room
looked dim, as to old men; and hands which had not known a tremor for
years, shook as they emptied the contents of the little syringe,
teeming with t