hysicians
will be able to read it with full understanding; but so far, we have,
after thousands of years, barely learned how to open its covers and
guess at the meaning of what lies hidden within."

Rose had edged close to Miss Merriman on the rough bench before the
fire, and, with the older woman's arm about her, now sat, wide-eyed and
wondering, while Donald talked. As he kept his gaze fixed on the glowing
heart of the fire, he seemed, in time, to be musing aloud rather than
consciously explaining.

"This much we have learned, however; that certain parts of the brain
control all the different actions or functions of the body--I've called
it a telegraph station once before...." he paused, and both thought of
little Mike in his last home under the snow ... "with different keys,
each sending its message over a separate wire. So you see that, if we
can learn exactly what the message has been, I mean by that just how
certain parts of the body have been affected--Miss Merriman would call
them the 'localizing symptoms'--we can often tell almost exactly which
key is being disarranged by the pressure of a foreign growth, such as a
tumor. Do you think that you can understand that, Rose?"

She nodded slowly.

"That is the first, the great and most difficult thing for us to do. The
rest depends, in part, upon the mechanical skill of the surgeon, but far
more upon Fate, for there are certain kinds of growths which may be
removed with a fair chance of success--it is only that, at present--and
others ... but we won't consider the others. Lou is young, and in one
way that is in our favor. If there _is_ a tumor, there is less
likelihood of infiltration," he added, glancing at the nurse.

Rose opened her lips as though to ask a question, and then decided not
to, but her expression caused Donald to say, "Come child, don't look so
frightened."

"But I didn't know ... it's so ... so terrible. How can any one live if
his head is cut open like that?"

"It sounds desperate, doesn't it," he answered, lightly, "But with our
anesthetics, which put the patient quietly to sleep, and our new,
specially made instruments, the trained and careful surgeon can perform
the operation quite easily--as far as the mechanical part goes, I mean.
But, you can see how all-important it is for you to tell me just how Lou
has been affected. I know what a good memory you have; make it count
to-night."

With her breathing quickened, and eyes shining from p