d manage the whole of that blooming foundation and
have any time to spare for _hopeful_ humanity,--do you? Why, it will take a
force of half a dozen men to keep the books straight and look after the
ever-increasing capital. By the time old Brady is ready to start the ball
rolling there will be so much money stored up for the job that Rockefeller
will be ashamed to mention the pitiful fortune he controls. In the
meantime he can go on saving people's lives while the trust company saves
the Foundation."

CHAPTER XXVII

Thorpe returned to New York about the middle of May, in the tenth month of
the war. The true facts concerning the abrupt severance of his connections
with the hospital corps in France were never divulged. His confreres and
his superiors maintained a discreet and loyal silence. It was to Simmy
that he explained the cause of his retirement. Word had gone out among the
troops that he was the American doctor whose practices were infinitely
more to be feared than the bullets from an enemy's guns.... It was
announced from headquarters that he was returning to the United States on
account of ill-health. He had worked hard and unceasingly and had exposed
himself to grave physical hardships. He came home with a medal for
conspicuous and unexampled valour while actually under fire. One report
had it that on more than one occasion he appeared not only to scorn death
but to invite it, so reckless were his deeds.

* * * * *

Meanwhile James Marraville died in great agony. Those nearest to him said,
in so many words, that it was a great pity he did not die at the time of
the operation.

* * * * *

"But," began one of the reporters at the dock, "you are said to have
risked your own life, Dr. Thorpe, on at least half a dozen occasions when
you exposed yourself to the fire of the enemy by going out in front after
men who had fallen and were as good as dead when you got to them. In every
case, we are told the men died on the stretchers while they were being
carried to the rear. Do you mind telling us why you brought those men back
when you knew that they were bound to die--"

"You have been misinformed," interrupted Thorpe. "One of those men did not
die. I did all that was possible to save the lives as well as the bodies
of those wretched fellows. Not one of them appeared to have a chance. The
one who survived was in the most hopeless condition of th