doctor exclaimed, "I need three years--I need four years!"

"No, Doctor!" persisted George. "You can cure me in less time than
that."

The other answered, "No! No! No!"

George caught him by the hand, imploringly. "Yes! Science in all
powerful!"

"Science is not God," was the reply. "There are no longer any miracles."

"If only you wanted to do it!" cried the young man, hysterically. "You
are a learned man; seek, invent, find something! Try some new plan with
me; give me double the dose, ten times the does; make me suffer. I give
myself up to you; I will endure everything--I swear it! There ought to
be some way to cure me within six months. Listen to me! I tell you I
can't answer for myself with that delay. Come; it is in the name of my
wife, in the name of my children, that I implore you. Do something for
them!"

The doctor had reached the limit of his patience. "Enough, sir!" he
cried. "Enough!"

But nothing could stop the wretched man. "On my knees!" he cried. "I
put myself on my knees before you! Oh! If only you would do it! I would
bless you; I would adore you, as one adores a god! All my gratitude, all
my life--half my fortune! For mercy's sake, Doctor, do something; invent
something; make some discovery--have pity!"

The doctor answered gravely, "Do you wish me to do more for you than for
the others?"

George answered, unblushingly, 'answered, unblushingly, "Yes!" He was
beside himself with terror and distress.

The other's reply was delivered in a solemn tone. "Understand, sir,
for every one of out patients we do all that we can, whether it be the
greatest personage, or the last comer to out hospital clinic. We have no
secrets in reserve for those who are more fortunate, or less fortunate
than the others, and who are in a hurry to be cured."

George gazed at him for a moment in bewilderment and despair, and then
suddenly bowed his head. "Good-by, Doctor," he answered.

"Au revoir, sir," the other corrected--with what proved to be prophetic
understanding. For George was destined to see him again--even though he
had made up his mind to the contrary!

CHAPTER III

George Dupont had the most important decision of his life to make; but
there was never very much doubt what his decision would be. One the one
hand was the definite certainty that if he took the doctor's advice, he
would wreck his business prospects, and perhaps also lose the woman he
loved. On the other hand were vague and uncertain