hemselves to the new situation, and then, if the
millionaire was still showing signs of surviving, they would burst forth
into praise of the marvellous young surgeon who had startled the entire
world by his performance!

In the meantime, there was still a chance that Mr. Marraville might die,
so it was better to hesitate and be on the safe side.

CHAPTER XXIV

James Marraville called Thorpe a coward and a poltroon. This was a week
after the operation. They were alone in the room. For days his wondering,
questioning eyes had sought those of the man on whom he had depended for
everlasting peace, and always there had been a look of reproach in them.
Not in words, but still plainly, he was asking why he still lived, why
this man had not done the thing that was expected of him. Every one about
him was talking of the marvellous, incredible result of the operation;
every one was looking cheerful and saying that he would "soon be as good
as new." And all the while he was lying there, weak and beaten, wondering
why they lied to him, and why Man as well as God had been so cruel to him.
He was not deceived. He knew that he had it all to live over again. He
knew what they meant when they said that it had been very successful! And
so, one day, in all the bitterness of his soul, he cursed the man who had
given him a few more months to live.

But there were other men and women who did not want to die. They wanted
very dearly to live, and they had been afraid to risk an operation. Now
that the world was tumbling over itself to proclaim the greatness of the
surgeon who had saved James Marraville's life, the faint-hearted of all
degrees flowed in a stream up to his doors and implored him to name his
own price.... So goes the world....

The other doctors knew, and Braden knew, and most thoroughly of all James
Marraville knew, that while the operation was a wonderful feat in surgery,
it might just as well have remained undone. The young doctor simply had
done all that was in the power of man to do for a fellow creature. He had
cheated Death out of an easy victory, but Death would come again and sit
down beside James Marraville to wait for another day.

Down near Washington Square, Wade blinked his eyes and shook his head, and
always re-read the reports from the sick-room. He was puzzled and
sometimes there was a faraway look in his eyes.

* * * * *

Lutie's baby came. He came long after midnig