on to excitement. In almost
any other case he would have said that it was not possible for him to
go. But the exigency and the peculiarly distressing circumstances
attending upon this made it next to impossible for him to refuse.

"At twelve o'clock, Mr. Voss, I have a delicate and difficult operation
to perform, and I have too short a time now for the preparation I need.
I am sure you can rely fully on my assistant, Doctor Angler."

"No, no!" replied Mr. Voss, waving his hand almost impatiently. "I do
not want Doctor Angier. You must see Mrs. Voss yourself."

He was imperative, almost angry. What was the delicate and difficult
operation to him? What was anything or anybody that stood in the way of
succor for his imperiled wife? He could not pause to think of others'
needs or danger.

Doctor Hillhouse had to decide quickly, and his decision was on the
side where pressure was strongest. He could not deny Mr. Voss.

He found the poor distressed mother in a condition of utter
prostration. For a little while after coming out of the swoon into
which her first wild fears had thrown her, she had been able to
maintain a tolerably calm exterior. But the very effort to do this was
a draught on her strength, and in a few hours, under the continued
suspense of waiting and hearing nothing from her boy, the overstrained
nerves broke down again, and she sunk into a condition of
half-conscious suffering that was painful to see.

For such conditions medicine can do but little. All that Doctor
Hillhouse ventured to prescribe was a quieting draught. It was after
eleven o'clock when he got back to his office, where he found Mr.
Ridley waiting for him with a note from Doctor Ainsworth.

"Come for just a single moment," the note said. "There are marked
changes in her condition."

"I cannot! It is impossible!" exclaimed Doctor Hillhouse, with an
excitement of manner he could not repress. Doctor Ainsworth can do all
that it is in the power of medical skill to accomplish. It will not
help her for me to go again now, and another life is in my hands. I am
sorry, Mr. Ridley, but I cannot see your wife again until this
afternoon.

"Oh, doctor, doctor, don't say that!" cried the poor, distressed
husband, clasping his hands and looking at Doctor Hillhouse with a
pale, imploring face. "Just for single moment, doctor. Postpone your
operation. Ten minutes, or even an hour, can be of no consequence. But
life or death may depend on your seeing