"And now," she responded gayly, "you've got to finish this thing, doctor. I don't want any more half-way operations. I'm going to get well this time. I'm happy and I'm going to be strong again."
"Good, we'll get at it right away. I knew you'd feel that way and so I brought with me a great surgeon, the most skillful man I know in New York. I've told him of your case, a very unusual one, and he is going to help me."
The little mouth smiled bravely:
"I'll be ready for the examination in half an hour——"
When the doctors emerged from her room the sun had set behind the dark blue hills and Norton was waiting on the balcony for their report.
The specialist walked slowly to where he was standing. He couldn't move from his tracks. His throat was dry and he had somehow lost the power of speech. He looked into the face of the man of science, read the story of tragedy and a mist closed his eyes.
The doctor took his arm gently:
"I've bad news for you——"
"Yes, I know," was the low answer.
"The truth is best——"