Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/406

 He covered her face with tears and kisses while he whispered and soothed her to sleep. When the noon train came up from Independence, General Worth arrived. Tom had asked Gaston to telegraph for him in his name.

Tom eagerly grasped his hand. "General I knowed you'd come—you're a man to tie to. I never knowed you to fail me in your life. You're one of the smartest men in the world too. You never got us boys in a hole so deep you didn't pull us out"—

"What can I do for you?" interrupted the General.

"Ah, now's the worst of all, General. I'm in water too deep for me. My baby, the last one left on earth, the apple of my eye, all that holds my old achin' body to this world—she's—about—to—die! I can't let her. General, you must save her for me. I want more doctors. They say there's a great doctor at Independence. I want 'em all. Tell 'em it's a poor old one-legged soldier who's shot all to pieces and lost his wife and all his children—all but this one baby. And I can't lose her! They'll come if you ask 'em—" His voice broke.

"I'll do it, Tom. I'll have them here on a special in three hours or maybe sooner," returned the General pressing his hand and hurrying to the telegraph office.

The doctors arrived at three o'clock and held a consultation with Doctor Graham. They decided that the loss of blood had been so great that the only chance to save her was in the transfusion of blood.

"I'll give her the blood, Tom," said Gaston quietly removing his coat and baring his arm.

The old soldier looked up through grateful tears.

"Next to the General, you're the best friend God ever give me, boy!"

The General turned his face away and looked out of the window. The doctors immediately performed the operation, transfusing blood from Gaston into the child.