Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 65: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BEYOND THE STARS. Ren turned. “‘ You mean you would do that? Do not be impulsive—think well of what you say.” Lupe’s face was expressionless. ‘‘ Bring your surgeons to examine me. I will do it.” CHAPTER VII. THE SACRIFICE. ** A RE you sure she will see when they take the bandage off? Oh, Len, will she? Suppose she does not!”’ “T think she will, Alice. They say she will. Every one thinks she will.” “But we don’t know. I wish she’d awaken. We can take the bandage off then. Can we?” “Yes. Dr. Weatherby will do it.” Alice tiptoed across the room and back. ** She’s still asleep. I wish she’d awaken. Will it have to be as dim as this in here?”’ “Yes, I think so—dimmer, probably. They’re afraid of the first light for her.” The first light! Soon, God willing, Do- lores would see the first light. What a thrill, a wonderment, exaltation it would bring to her! The operation had evidently created a widespread interest throughout the city. Surgeons had come, examined Lupe, and examined Dolores. Lupe’s eyes were per- fect. The operation, they said, would be successful. We had not yet been out for our au- dience with the king. Nothing more had been said concerning it; the operation was all-absorbing. The city quite obviously was in an excitement over it, an excitement only surpassed by our own publicly unexplained presence. Similar operations had been performed upon animals; but no human had been found willing to make such a. sacrifice. Even the criminals were protected by the law against being forced into it. They had taken little Dolores up to our roof-top, where from below a curious throng gazed up at her. And then taken Lupe. I heard the wild cheering. Lupe, when he returned, made no comment. see always now the strain under which he was laboring. But I could 863 Dolores protested when first she had been told. Then she demanded to be left alone with Lupe. But this we refused, and Lupe himself did not wish it. Studiously he avoided her. To him, Dr. Weatherby had said but a few sentences, with his hands on Lupe’s shoulders. “There is—nothing I can say, Lupe. Except—you will have my gratitude, my love—always. And whatever I can do to make up for what you are giving me—giv- ing my little Dolores—” His voice broke; he turned away. From across the room Jim called: “ It will square him with the law.” Lupe whirled around. But his voice was quiet. “ That is why I am doing it, of course.” They had taken Dolores and Lupe away. I sat obsessed by the vision of what was taking place. Dolores under the anesthetic, But, Lupe, whose eyes would have been affected, could take no anesthetic. In physical agony he was lying there. And when it was over, to be always in dark- ness. I had wondered why they would not take one eye only, that each might see; but they had told me that it was impossible. One optic nerve taken away would leave the other to atrophy and die; nor would the lone one transplanted live more than a brief time. Then they brought Dolores back. Her eyes were bandaged. And then Lupe, who was exhausted by his torture, fainted at last, and was now slumbering. Hours passed. The healing fluid they said was very swift. When Dolores awoke we could remove the bandage. Alice and I sat whimpering together. In a room ad- joining us Lupe lay unconscious. Dr. Weatherby entered with Jim. Be- hind them, lingering near the doorway, was the surgeon. He said softly: ‘ You can awaken her. A little less light. Then you can take the bandage off.” We awakened her gently. She sat up weakly, in bewilderment. ‘‘ Oh, the band- age, yes—I remember now. They told me it was over; I was all right. And then I went to sleep.” We gathered around her. A flat gray Gomichooks (E)