had talked it all over with him?"

"I had agreed to perform the operation, that is all, sir. He knew that his
case was hopeless. That is why he insisted on having the operation
performed."

"In other words, he deliberately put you in your present position? He set
his mind on forcing this thing upon you? Then all I have to say for
Templeton Thorpe is that he was a damned--But there, he's dead and gone
and, thank God, he can't hear me. You must understand, Braden, that this
statement of yours throws an entirely new light upon the case," said Dr.
Bates gravely. "The fact that it was actually expected of you makes your
act a--er--shall we say less inspirational? I do not believe it wise for you
to make this statement to my colleagues. You are quite safe in telling me,
for I understand the situation perfectly. But if you tell them that there
was an agreement--even a provisional agreement--I--well, the thing will not
look the same to them."

"You are right, Dr. Bates," said Braden, after a moment. "Thank you for
the advice. I see what you mean. I shall not tell them all that I have
told you. Still, I am determined to see them and--"

"Quite so. It is right that you should. Give them cause to respect you, my
boy. They saw everything. They are sound, just men. From what they have
said to me, you may rest assured that they do not condemn you any more
than I do. The anaesthetician saw nothing. He was occupied. That young
fellow--what's his name?--may have been more capable of observing than we'd
suspect in one so tender, but I fancy he wouldn't know _everything_. I
happen to know that he saw the knife slip. He mentioned it to Simeon
Dodge."

"To Simmy Dodge!"

"Yes. Dodge came to see me last night. He told me that the boy made some
queer statement to him about the pylorus, and he seemed to be troubled. I
set him straight in the matter. He doesn't know any more about the pylorus
than he knew before, but he does know that no surgeon on earth could have
avoided the accident that befell you in the crisis. Simmy, good soul, was
for going out at once and buying off the interne, but I stopped him. We
will take care of the young man. He doesn't say it was intentional, and we
will convince him that it wasn't. How do you stand with young George
Tresslyn?"

"I don't know. He used to like me. I haven't seen--"

"It appears that Simmy first inquired of George if he knew anything about
the pylorus. He is Mrs. Thorpe's brother. I shoul