Under the probe of the surgeon to—day，a fortnighta henceback on the firing line，was not very unusual with these brave men.The ambulances had gathered in a few German soldiers，who would become prisoners of war on their recovery，and while these were inclined to be despondent and unsociable theywere treated courteously by all，the Americans showing no preference for any nation.The large majority of the patients，however，came from the ranks of the Allies—French，English and Belgian—and these were men who could smile and be merry with bandaged heads，arms a—sling，legs in splintsa，bullet holes here and there，such afflictions being regarded bytheir victims with a certain degree of pride.
Dr.Gys was in his element，for now he had ample opportunity to display his skill and his patients were unable to "jump to another doctor"in case his ugly features revolted them.His main interest，however，lay in the desperately wounded Belgian private，Andrew Denton，whom he had agreed to keep alive until the return of Miss Doyle and her uncle.
In making this promise Gys had figured on a possible delay of several days，but on the second day following Patsy's departure the sudden sinking of his patient aroused a defiant streak in the surgeon and he decided to adopt drastic measures in order to prevent Denton from passing away before his wife's arrival.
"I want you to assist me in a serious operation，"he said to Maud Stanton."By all the rules and precedents of human flesh，that fellow Denton ought to succumb tob his wound within the next three hours.The shell played havoc with his interior and I have never dared，until now，to attempt topatch things up；but if we're going to keep him alive until morning，or until your cousin's return，we must accomplish the impossible.""What is that？"she inquired.
"Remove his vital organs，tinkera them up and put them back so they will work properly.""Can that be done，doctor？""I think not.But I'm going to try it.I am positive that if we leave him alone he has less than three hours of life remaining；so，if we fail，Miss Stanton，as it is reasonable to expect，poor Denton will merely be spared a couple of hours of pain.Get the anaesthetics，please."With all her training and experience as a nurse，Maud washalf terrified at the ordeal before her.But she realized the logic of the doctor's conclusion and steeled her nerves to do her part.
An hour later she stood looking down upon the patient.He was still upon the operating table but breathing quietly and as strongly as at any time since he had received his wound.
"This shows，"Dr.Gys said to her，his voice keen withelationb，"what fools we are to take any human condition for granted.Man is a machine.Smash his mechanism and it cannot work；make the proper repairs before it is too late and—there he goes，ticking away as before.Not as good a machine as it was prior to the break，but with care and caution it will run a long time.""He will live，then，you think？"she asked softly，marvelinga that after what she had witnessed the man was still able to breathe.
Gys leaned down and put his ear to the heart of the patient.For two minutes he remained motionless.Then he straightened up and a smile spread over his disfiguredb features.
"I confidently believe，Miss Stanton，we have turnedthe trick！Luck，let us call it，for no sensible surgeon would have attempted the thing.Rest assured that Andrew Denton will live for the next ten days.More than that，with no serious set—back he may fully recover and live for many years to come."He was so pleased that tears stood in his one good eye and he wiped them away sheepishly.The girl took his hand and pressed it in both her own.
"You are wonderful—wonderful！"she said.
"Don't，please—don't look in my face，"he pleaded.
"I won't，"she returned，dropping her eyes；"I will think only of the clever brain，the skillful hand and the stout heart.""Not even that，"he said."Think of the girl wife—of Elizabeth.It was she who steadied my hand to—day.Indeed，Miss Stanton，it was Elizabeth's influence that saved him.But for her we would have let him die."