"Back home at last." "Coalville, USA, five miles from Pittsburgh." "Empty cars heading for the mines, soon to return loaded with thousands of tons of coal." "How long had it been since I first left?" "Ten years and two wars ago, and only two short leaves in between." "The Reasonover Coal Company." "The sky always gray with smoke, the miners, the huge trucks, everything covered with soot and dirt." "Mountains of coal piled black against the sky." "It had always been the same ever since I could remember." "I wondered if anything had changed, if anything ever could change in this town." "The street where I lived exactly as I left it." "It's Tom!" "It's Tom Owen!" " Hey, Slim!" " Tom!" " Hello, Doc Scobee." " Tom, you're looking well." " Mr. Upham, how are you?" " It's been a long time, Slim." "Or will I be court-martialed for saying that to a full colonel in the Medical Corps?" " You've still got seniority on me." " Staying for a while, Tom?" "I don't know." "I just got in from Tokyo." "I'm on leave." "I haven't even seen my mother yet." "I'm sorry about your brother." " Too bad, Slim." " Yes, it was." "I'd like to talk to you about it sometime." "I'll drop in and see you in your office then, Doc." " Good." " So long." "When did he get back?" "Hello, Pete." "It's been a long time." "Not long enough." "What did you come back for?" "Cover up for your lousy brother?" "Now, take it easy, Pete." "That's no way to talk." "I'm not talking." "That'll bring back my dead father?" " That mine wasn't safe and you know it." " Now, don't start any crazy rumors." "Rumors about what?" "Your brother was nothing but a cheap crook!" "And murderer!" " Don't do that again, Pete." " Let the heel alone, Pete." "Yeah, you might dirty up his uniform." " Tom, I'm sorry about this." " Me, too, Slim." " What was he saying about my brother?" " Nothing, nothing at all." "Just a lot of gossip." "Thanks." "Tom." "Tom, you look fine!" "So do you, Mom." "Come on." "You didn't have to come home." "I took care of everything after Floyd died." "I wrote you." "Is it all right you being back?" "Did you get permission?" "Well, do you think I'm playing hooky, Mom?" "You used to be pretty good at it at school." "Now, don't worry." "Everything's all right." "It feels like I've been gone about two days." "Ten years." "I can't believe it." "All the places you've been, and all the things you've done." " You look bigger." " It's the uniform." "Look, no coal dirt under the fingernails." "Pop's scrubbing brush and your laundry soap finally paid off." " Clean." " They're good hands." "You're a good doctor." "Mom, how did Floyd die?" "They were working a crew on the fourth cross entry when it blew up." " Firedamp?" " We don't know." "We won't know till the report from the Bureau of Mines comes in." "They say Mr. Reasonover is going to announce it." "The men said the ventilating system was bad." "That's what Floyd went down to find out about." "He didn't have to go down there." "How can you say that, Mom?" "He was the safety engineer." "That was his job." "You can't quarrel with your brother anymore." "He's dead." "I didn't mean it that way, Mom." "How about some coffee?" "Sometimes I wonder." "Your father, your grandfather Micah," ""Stay above the ground and have an education," they said." ""Keep the dirt from under your fingernails, learn to be a gentleman," they said." "Well, we learned it." "My Army commission says so." ""An officer and a gentleman. "" "Floyd learned, too, in his own way, by marrying a rich woman." "Marrying for money doesn't make a gentleman." "That big house, all those servants, putting on a front..." "Floyd didn't belong there." " Where did he belong, Mom?" " Here." "Here?" "Living in the ground like an animal?" "One jump ahead of his bills?" "Is that what you wanted for Floyd?" "To spend the rest of his life in Coalville?" "I like Coalville." "I was born here." "I raised you and Floyd here." "I'm going to stay here." "That's what Floyd should have done." "You don't mean that, Mom." "You can't." "You know how hard Floyd and I fought to get out of the mines." "Now I'm out, I'm going to stay out." "Just like Floyd tried to do." "Where did all his trying get him?" "Do you know what they're saying about Floyd?" "They're saying Floyd caused the accident." "That it wasn't safe down there, that the installations were bad." "That was Floyd's job." "They're calling him a thief and a murderer." "What kind of talk is that?" "You don't believe that." "I don't know what to believe." "I didn't know Floyd after he married that woman." "Living in that house where he shouldn't have lived, spending money he didn't have," " always needing more!" " I don't care how much money he spent." " I don't believe a word of it." " Tom!" " Where are you going, Tom?" " To find Dan Reasonover." "I'll be back, Mom." "Don't worry." "Everything will be all right." " I'm looking for Mr. Reasonover." " Oh, just a moment, please." "Will you excuse me?" "Mr. Reasonover's office told me I could find him here." " You might." " Is he here or isn't he?" "Well, now, Colonel, if you were a bit more polite and a little more friendly," "I might tell you." "I'm his daughter." "Paul, sweetie, do you know where my husband is?" " No." " Well, be an angel and go find him." "You've had enough, Rita." "He's with that sexy dish from Philadelphia, that's where he is." "I must say, Mrs. Nelson really started the season." " Well, hi, honey, how about a drink?" " Come on, Colonel, join us." "Where did he come from?" "But this is a virtue of modern painting, Mrs. Nelson." "But I don't hold with modern painting." "Now, I like a nice comfortable painter like Rembrandt." "When he painted a naked woman, you knew it was a woman" " and not an order of scrambled eggs." " Tom!" " Well, how are you, Tom?" " Dan." " When did you get back to the States?" " This morning." "I've spent the past two hours tracking you down." "Well, I'm glad you found me." "I want you to meet my friends." " Mrs. Nelson, my sister." " How do you do, ma'am?" " And Miss Grellett." " This is a pleasure." "This is my daughter, Mrs. Curtis." " We've already met." " Dan, could I see you alone for a minute?" " It's important." " Sure." "Will you excuse us?" "We can go in here, Tom." "What is this?" "An invasion?" "An attractive one, don't you think?" "Mr. Reasonover." "In Philadelphia, we knock on doors." "I wouldn't know about that." "I haven't been there lately." "I..." "Helen, who is that great, big, handsome uniform?" "I don't know, but I'm going to find out." "And remember, darling, we're playing Western rules." "I saw him first." "I can't believe it." "Criminal negligence?" "Those are the facts, Tom." "That's what the report from the Mining Bureau says." "You can come in and read it in my office." "But Floyd had mine safety drummed into his head from the day he could walk." "It doesn't make sense." "It didn't make sense to me either until I found out why." " Well, why?" " Money." "Floyd had complete charge of all my safety installations." "He had my authority to buy what he wanted, where he wanted, no questions asked." "In eight years, he spent more than a million dollars for equipment." " Then he did the best he could, didn't he?" " He didn't." "Out of every dollar he spent, he took a kickback." "To hide it, he put in the cheapest kind of equipment, junk!" "What about the Bureau inspections?" "Why didn't the inspectors turn it up?" "They made the same mistake I did." "When you trust a man who works for you, you trust him." "You don't go over every move he makes with a fine-tooth comb." "I'm afraid it adds up." "He lived beyond his means, way beyond." "In addition to what he stole from me, he borrowed heavily." "What are you going to do about it?" "You can't prosecute a dead man." "How much does he owe you?" "Oh, forget it, Tom." "Let me give you a little advice." "Your whole family worked for me ever since I left the pits and put on a white collar." "Grandfather, father, brother..." "Never worked for anybody else." "If I remember rightly, even you worked for me." " Barrow boy. $3 a week." " $3 a week." "That's right." "Well, you've come a long way." "Made a great record in the Army." "Everybody knows about it, respects you." "Floyd has nothing to do with you." "That'll all be forgotten." "See that you forget it, too." "Just keep right on going the way you have." " How much did he get away with?" " Tom, I told you, forget it!" "Forget it?" "How can I forget it?" " What happened?" " It's Rita." " Rita Thornburg?" " All I did was kiss him." " I didn't mean anything." " Shut up." "You caused enough trouble." "A doctor!" "Somebody get a doctor!" "How was I to know she'd get so jealous" " she'd want to do a thing like that?" " Father!" "Get a doctor, quickly!" " Rita's bleeding badly." " Let me look at her." "It's all right, Helen, Colonel Owen is a doctor." "You, get some alcohol." "Dan, see if you can dig up some spirits of ammonia." "Well, shouldn't we call Dr. Gleeson?" "I'm sure the Colonel had tougher cases in Korea." "Open it." "Will she be all right, Colonel?" "Well, as long as she doesn't slash her wrists again." "Oh, Colonel, there's just one more thing." "Don't worry." "It won't be in the papers." "Oh, thanks." "I appreciate it." "Are you quite sure she'll be all right?" "She lost about three ounces of blood." "The human body contains 13 pints, so I don't think she has much to worry about." "I must say you were very impressive, the way you handled it." "Cub Scouts do it every day for merit badges." " Can I persuade you to have a drink?" " No, thanks." "And I'm in a hurry." "Just out of curiosity, Colonel, do these represent places you've been or things you've done?" "A little of both." "Are you quite sure about that drink, Colonel?" "I'm quite sure, Mrs. Curtis." "Come in." " Tom!" " Hello, Doctor." "I didn't expect to see you here this time of night." "Your mother told me you went looking for Dan Reasonover." "Find him?" "I found him." "Yes, I read the full report." "I'm sorry, Tom." "What've you got there?" "Somebody's broken collarbone?" "No, something more serious." "Take a look at that." "It might interest you." "The sixth miner in three weeks." "Coughing, nausea, bronchial irritation." "Once you get a pattern like that, you know in your bones it's going to get worse before it gets better." "If it's ever going to get better." "Everything gets better." "If a doctor didn't believe that, he ought to be selling shoes." " Hey..." " See anything?" "Once in Germany, I was working on some miners near Essen." "Made some X-rays." "There was this same formation in the right lobe." "Just about here." "Wish I could remember exactly..." "It's gone." "I thought it might be methane gas, but it's just a wild guess." "Well, Pasteur made some wild guesses that moved us all up 100 years." "Well, I know it takes centuries for methane gas to gather under the ground, but it's not poisonous, Tom." "But I don't see how it'd give the men those symptoms." " Coal dust?" " Not this irritation." "I read the inspector's report." "Rock dusting was recommended and done." "Well, maybe they missed some." "Not likely." "But it's always possible that more accumulated from the new cutting machines." "Well, if it keeps on..." "The mine inspectors are pretty good about watching for that." "They know that a spark off a miner's pick, off his hobnailed boots, can explode the methane gas and you know what that can do." "It would set off the coal dust like an atomic chain reaction." "No, it's not the dust." "This is something else." "Something worse." "I need help." "Is there any chance of you leaving the Army, Tom?" "There's always a chance, but I like the Army." "We need another doctor here." "I need a young man, a good man to take over." "It isn't much of a practice, but in a year or two it will be all yours." "You won't get rich, but I need help." "What about my needs?" "Well, you've got your hands." "You've got your scalpel." "That's all a doctor needs." "I've also got a dead brother who left a coal scuttle full of debts." " What about those?" " There are all kinds of debts." "If I had to choose between the kind I owed Dan Reasonover" " and the kind I owed Coalville..." " Thanks, Doc." "But they're my debts, not yours." "You're sure Mr. Reasonover told you everything there was to tell?" "There was nothing to tell." " He didn't blame Floyd?" " Floyd's name didn't come up." "You know how these things are, Mom." "When there's an accident, they all pass the buck." "There'll always be somebody to blame Floyd, or the Union, or Dan Reasonover himself." "Look, Mom, it's over." "It's finished." "Forget it." "I'll try." "What are you going to do with your vacation, Tom?" "Oh, I don't know." "After Korea, all I want to do for a while is sleep and eat, do a little thinking." "Hello?" "Yes." "It's for you, Tom." "A Mrs. Helen Curtis." "Thanks." "Hello." "I wondered if you had any special plans for today?" "Well, I was going to look up some old friends." "I don't know about that." "1:00, my apartment." "I'll be there." "I have to run in to Pittsburgh for lunch." "With Helen Curtis." "That's right." "She was a friend of Floyd's wife." "What's wrong with that?" "I don't know." "I'm just afraid." "That was quite a collection of characters you had here last night." " What was the occasion?" " Just a party." "You saved it." "Oh, I'm glad." "You looked like you were holding court." "Do I detect a slight antisocial flavor in your attitude?" "On the contrary, I couldn't have been more impressed." "The last time I saw a layout like this I was quartered in a castle on the Rhine." "Didn't get much chance to look it over last night, though." " How is Mrs. Thornburg, by the way?" " Rita?" "When she sobered up this morning, she felt kind of silly about the whole thing." "It's been my experience that women who drink too much aren't silly." "They're frustrated." "Mrs. Thornburg obviously has quite a problem." " May I pay you a small compliment?" " If it's not too small." "I didn't get much sleep this morning because of you." "There were four calls, all women, asking about Colonel Tom Owen." " Did you take their numbers?" " I told them I saw you first." "Occupied territory." "You know that might be fun, being occupied." "It could be." "They all said what a shame you weren't a civilian doctor with offices in Pittsburgh." " Have you ever thought about that?" " Not very seriously." "Well, you're a Colonel." "You've probably done your share in the Army." "You know, you were beginning to impress me." "Money, style, honesty." "I might have known there'd be something wrong with you." "You're a reformer." "How can you say that simply because I suggest you think about a private practice instead of devoting your whole life to the Army?" "But I like the Army." "I like it very much." " Give me one good reason." " I'll give you a dozen." "They all spell security." "I'm a full colonel, Mrs. Curtis." "$777.48 a month, every month." "That's no reason, and you know it." "You could make 10 times that here, every month." "What makes you think so?" "You saw them in my apartment last night." "The richest, the cream of the crop." "And they saw you." "That's why they called." "They'd all come, checkbooks in hand." "Isn't that security?" " Does that answer you?" " Not quite." "You wouldn't have to worry." "I could help you." "What are you after, another moose head to hang on your wall?" "You might make a good-looking moose head at that." "Nobody is going to collect me and hang me on any wall." "Any experienced collector will tell you, Colonel, that prize items are always given special treatment." "Just how much experience have you had?" "A great deal." "Perhaps too much." "Twice married, twice divorced." "But I didn't bring you here to talk about myself." "Well, you keep right on talking." "I'm just beginning to enjoy it." "There was a fifth phone call from a man." "A Dr. Homer Gleeson." "Ever hear of him?" "Ten years ago when I left here, Gleeson was the name all the young doctors looked up when they wanted a synonym for "hitting the jackpot. "" " What did he want?" " Your phone number." "He's Rita Thornburg's doctor." "He wants to thank you for taking such good care of her." "He also wants to see you." " Why?" " Are you interested?" "Should I be?" "I made an appointment for you." "He's expecting you at 3:00 this afternoon." "Reasonover efficiency." "Is that the way your father made his fortune?" "Luncheon is served." "It's the way he taught me to make mine." "Well, I got you here on time." "Dr. Homer Gleeson's clinic." "Colonel, are you married?" " No, are you?" " Not now." "Let me know how you make out." " Yeah, I will." " Will I see you later?" " Don't you have anything else to do?" " Not for the next 24 hours." "On my datebook it's "Tom Owen Day. " Do you mind?" " Not at all." " Then I will see you later." "Dr. Gleeson, Colonel Owen to see you." "Colonel Owen." "I'm glad you could make it." " How do you do, sir?" " I hope Mrs. Curtis told you." "I'm grateful for what you did for Mrs. Thornburg last night." " Please sit down." " Thanks." " Well, it could have been serious." " It could have been, but it wasn't." "Women aren't really cut out for heavy drinking." "I've explained that to Mrs. Thornburg many times, but she keeps on trying." "By the way, Mrs. Nelson called me." "Mrs. Roger Nelson." "You made quite an impression on her." "I don't remember her." "She remembers you, and that's what counts in Pittsburgh." "She's Helen Curtis' aunt." "The richest and most influential woman in Pittsburgh." " One of your patients?" " For 20 years." "She was very much impressed with the way you handled Mrs. Thornburg." "Well, as you know, Dr. Gleeson, a doctor doesn't have to do very much to impress people." "Well, I'm impressed." "This is your service record." "I called some friends in Washington." "Penn '38, Phi Beta Kappa," "Medical Corps, North Africa, Germany, Korea." "Distinguished Service Cross." "They say you're quite a surgeon." "I'm a man of quick decisions, Colonel." "My associate, Dr. Parry, is leaving me to open his own office." "I like you and I like what your record says." "I've decided that I'd like to have you with me as an associate." "I'm very flattered, Dr. Gleeson." "Are you interested?" "I'm also still in the Army." "Mrs. Curtis tells me that you might be considering a change." "Mrs. Curtis is assuming a great deal." "Think it over, Colonel Owen." "And if you decide to get out of uniform, come in and see me again." " I'll do that." "Thanks, Doctor." "Goodbye." " Goodbye." " Mrs. Curtis is expecting me." " Go right in." "I've been out on the terrace several times, looking for your distress signals." " I thought you were lost." " I never get lost." "That's encouraging." "I called Gleeson's office." " They said you left an hour ago." " That's right." "You certainly took your time getting here." "I stopped for some cigarettes." "I have cigarettes." "I prefer my own." "I don't like to be kept waiting." "You'll learn if you hang around doctors long enough." "Well, which will it be, Colonel Owen or Dr. Owen?" "I'll tell you what I don't like, having my orders cut for me." "People who can't make up their minds always complain that other people are trying to run their lives." " Isn't that what you're trying to do?" " Colonel, all I'm suggesting is that you take off your uniform and accept Gleeson's offer." "His offer to do what?" "Patch up a bunch of neurotics and rich alcoholics like Rita Thornburg?" "In the Army, I'm a doctor, treating real patients." "Here..." "The rich get just as sick as the poor." "Of course they do, when they're really sick, not developing imaginary illnesses." "Colonel, I think you'd be very wise to accept Dr. Gleeson's offer." " If I were wise, I wouldn't be here at all now." " Where would you be?" " Someplace where I could think." " What's there to think about, Colonel?" "A group of miners in Essen, Germany." "The way their lungs looked in some X-rays." "Another group of miners who still live in the street where I was born." "The way their lungs are beginning to look right now." "It doesn't sound very pleasant." " Miners' diseases are never very pleasant." " You know what's wrong with you?" "You think you're one of the Mayo Brothers." "You're not, you know." "You're just another barrow boy who worked for my father and managed to get the coal dust out from under his fingernails." "I never denied it." "You can fool Rita Thornburg and those other silly women, but it takes more than a uniform, no matter how attractively it's stuffed, to fool me." " Just what does it take?" " Brains." "You and your miners and their diseases." "If you cared anything about them, you'd be down there in Coalville this minute, not here." "Who do you think you're kidding, Colonel?" " Not you, apparently." " You bet you're not." "My father once said, "If you know where a man is from," ""you can always tell where he wants to go. "" "And where you come from, Colonel, people always pay their debts." "That's right." "Then the only chance you've got is by going with Gleeson." "Not because I helped arrange it, but because that's where you want to go." "Now, please go." "I've met women like you in half the capitals of the world." "You've been everywhere, done everything and seen everything, had everything," " and it still isn't good enough." " I'm not interested in your diagnosis." "I wasted no time." "I took the silver eagles from my shoulders and traded them for the keys to my brand-new car." "I removed my old identification bracelet, removed it for good, to replace it with an identification that everyone could see, a passport to a world I always wanted." "It was strange being out of uniform, strange, but pleasant." "Dr. Thomas Owen instead of Colonel." "Sounded good to me." " Miss Lasher, the doctor will see you now." " Thank you." " Miss Lasher?" " Yes, Doctor." "You come very highly recommended." " Sit down." " Thank you." " Where did you study?" " Bellevue." "Three years." " I took my state boards in New York." " You're registered as a nurse in this state?" "Yes." "I spent the past year in the Graduate Hospital," "University of Pennsylvania." " Penn?" "That's my school." " I know." " What experience have you had?" " Two years in surgery." "But I can do general duty, too." "Well, I need somebody who can handle both." "Any ideas about salary?" "The agency said 350 a month, but that's not the main consideration." "What is?" "Well, I want to work for someone like you." "I want to work for a good surgeon." "You see, I hope to go to medical school myself someday." "Any doctors in your family?" "My father is a general practitioner in upstate New York." "According to your record, your last office position was with Dr. Merton in Philadelphia." "What made you leave?" "Well, I felt I needed more hospital experience." "That's why I went to the Graduate Hospital." " Age?" " Twenty-six." "Married?" "Colonel..." "Dr. Owen speaking." "Oh, hello, Helen." "Your flowers came." "Made me feel like a bride." "So far, wonderful." "Oh, I'm interviewing nurses, of course." "Don't be silly, darling." "Of course she'll be fat and ugly." "I do insist on good legs, though." "An hour'd be fine." "'Course I called Mother." "She's coming up this afternoon." "An hour then." " Now then, where were we?" " Whether I was married or not." "I'm not." "How did you know I went to Penn?" "I looked you up." "You graduated in 1938." " Hello, Murphy?" " Yes, Doctor?" "Call the agency." "Tell them the position's filled." "You mean I'm hired?" "Why not?" "You're fat and ugly, aren't you?" " The doctor'll be right with you, Mrs. Owen." " Thank you." " Looks like a flower show, doesn't it?" " Yes." "I really wouldn't worry if I were you, Mrs. Cartwright." " Can't thank you enough." " Oh, hello, Mom." "Lasher, would you make an appointment for Thursday for Mrs. Cartwright?" "Can't you make it for Friday, Tom?" "I've got a dress fitting Thursday." "Yes." "Friday'd be fine." " Thank you." " Goodbye then." " Till Friday." " Goodbye." "I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Mom." " Pretty fancy, huh?" " Yes." "Well, now..." "I can't tell you how pleased I am that you came over here." "Here, sit down." "Well, what do you think?" "I was in an office like this once before." "Floyd's." "It ruined him." "What ruined Floyd was that he forgot he came out of a hole in the ground." "He wanted a social career." "I want only one thing, money." "Look, Mom, I've got a chance at the jackpot." "A lot of people with a lot of money think I'm a colorful character." "Because I have the right sponsorship, they think I'm more than average." "You are more than average." "Well, I'm not, but by the time they find that out, I'll have the security I want, then it won't matter." "You don't mean that." "You're just saying it." "How do you know what I mean?" "I'm your mother." "When Floyd died, how much did he owe Mr. Reasonover?" "Nothing." "I've told you a dozen times, Floyd did..." " All this has nothing to do with Floyd." " With what, then?" "With that hole in the ground we came out of." "There isn't enough money in the world to fill it." "I'm going to try." "When you were a little boy, when you first said to me you wanted to be a doctor, I was so happy." "I thought, "A doctor's like a priest." ""My Tom'll be a doctor." ""He'll be able to help people." " "He'll be like... "" " Like Doc Scobee?" "Living in a house on a hill in the shadow of the tipple house, with a bunch of "thank yous" to pay his bills?" "Oh, no." "I served my time in the dirt." "I'm out now." "I've got a chance at something better and I'm going to take it." "A lot of things look good until you get them, especially expensive women." "If you mean Helen, Mom, you don't know what you're talking about." "I wish I could believe that." "Those holes in the ground that we came out of, money can't fill them." "They're filled in just one way." "The way Floyd filled his." " Good night, Doctor." " Good night, Ada." "I'm glad you were able to make it." "I'll be looking forward to the..." "And another thing, I can't decide who's telling me the truth, the doctor from Vienna or the doctor from Paris." "Now, my pain is here." "And especially when it rains." "Doctor, you tell me, what do you think it is?" "Well, the first lecture I ever attended in medical school, Mrs. Norton..." " Yes, Doctor." " The professor told us never to give medical advice at cocktail parties." "However, if you'd care to make an appointment at my office," "I'm sure we can settle the argument between Paris and Vienna." "Oh, thank you, Doctor." "Thank you so much." "Helen." "Helen, I think he's marvelous." "He's not like some of these other doctors that tell you there's nothing wrong with you." " Now, this Dr. Owen..." " Be sure to make an appointment for your mother." "Dr. Owen's very good on arthritis." " I will." "Good night." " Good night." "The Battle of the Bulge was nothing compared to this." "Isn't this epidemic of parties ever going to stop?" "Darling, all my friends want to meet you." "Monday, it was the Truesdales." "Tuesday, the Nicollettis." "Last night, your aunt's." "Can't I ever see you alone?" "Darling, we are alone." "You know, I think you've had enough." "Who says so?" "Your doctor, that's who." "When I want your professional advice, I'll ask for it." "I said you've had enough." "I've lived this way far too long for anyone to start dictating, even on a professional level." " I merely said you drink too much." " Maybe I do." "You think my life is a merry-go-round." "It is." "But you get dizzy going round and round, and never being able to get off." "That's why I drink." " You drink because you're insecure." " Maybe I am," " but I like what I am and what I do." " I don't." "In that case, you'd better find yourself another merry-go-round." "Helen, let's not quarrel." "I don't like to quarrel either." "Then can't we work out some sort of an armistice?" "I'm willing to declare a truce if you are." "Six karat, emerald cut, platinum setting." "I know she'll be very pleased, Doctor." " There's a Dr. Crowley to see you." " Dr. Crowley?" "Who's he?" " He says he knew you in Europe, Doctor." " In a second." "Well, I'll send you a check." "Thank you very much." "And best of luck to you." "Thank you." " Dr. Owen?" " Come in." "Come in." "Don't you remember me?" "Jim Crowley." " Crowley?" " Sergeant Crowley." " I was in your unit." "I was with you in Italy." " Oh, of course." "Well, what brings you here?" "Well, I'm a doctor now." "When I last saw you, I was only a student." "Doctor, huh?" "Well, congratulations." "Sit down." " Thank you." " You practicing in Pittsburgh?" "No." "In Philadelphia." "That's all I have been doing since I left the Army." "Practicing." "I spent eight months in charity wards." "Well, that's good experience." "Experience for what, I sometimes wonder." "It's not easy to break in." "Doctor," "I don't want to impose on you, but I need a job." "I'd be very grateful for the opportunity to work with you." "I have my Pennsylvania license..." "I know what you're going through, believe me, and maybe before long I'll be in a position to help you, but right now..." "Look, it isn't a question of money." "Well, I mean, money isn't the big thing." "It's just the opportunity to work with you." "Well, thanks for your interest, Crowley." "Tell you what." "Let me think it over, see what I can work out." "Can I reach you by phone sometime?" "Yes, sir." "You leave your phone number with Miss Lasher, and I'll call you up." " I will." " Nice to have seen you, Crowley." "Thank you." "Any luck?" "Oh, not much, I'm afraid." "Thank you very much." "Dr. Owen remembered you, didn't he?" "Oh, yes." "Yes, of course." "Didn't he ask you to leave your phone number?" " Why, yes, he did, but I thought..." " Then you'd better do it." "When Dr. Owen says he's going to do something, you can be sure he will." "You can take my word for it." "I know him." "That's very kind of you to take such an interest." "Thank you." "Where can we reach you, Dr. Crowley?" "Oh, I'm staying at the Y." " I don't know what the number is." " I'll look it up." "Goodbye." "Thank you." " Martini?" " Love one." "Be right out." "Darling, did Joyce Fenton drop in and see you today?" "Yeah, she's coming in for a checkup tomorrow." "You certainly seem bright and cheerful tonight." "Well, I feel good." "Now, after a long, hard day, a doctor's fancies lightly turn to thoughts of a quiet, romantic dinner." "Are you in the mood for candlelight and dark corners?" "I've nothing against them on the proper occasion." "Here's to candlelight, dark corners and the proper occasion." " What's wrong?" " What's in this drink?" "Gin, vermouth, ice cubes." "New way to make it." "Why?" "It's a ring." "Probably one of those fake ice cubes some joker left at your last party." "I'll make you a fresh one." "Make it exactly like this one." "Gin, vermouth and diamonds." "It's beautiful." "Simply beautiful." "Well, you know, there's a catch to it." "A struggling doctor can't afford to pass those things out for free." "I want you to marry me." "I'd like to marry you." "If you're sure you want someone who's spoiled and selfish." " You still don't know anything about me." " What else is there to know?" "You don't know about the men I've married and the men I've almost married." "Let's stick to the man you're going to marry." "Of course, darling, I have some virtues, too." "I play the piano like a talented nine-year-old." "We'll get you some more lessons." "And I speak the kind of French that makes a Paris waiter add 20% to your bill." "Anything else?" "And I love you." " Good morning, Lasher." " Good morning." "Well, what have we got on the schedule for today?" " Mrs. Allison..." " Acute gastritis." " Mrs. Broder..." " Intestinal stasis." " Mrs. Pinkley." " Colitis." "All fancy names for indigestion." "They could cure themselves with 10 cents' worth of baking soda." "Doctor, there's something I wanted to ask you." " Of course." " It's about Dr. Crowley." "Crowley?" "Oh, yes, the Sergeant." "Did you know him before?" "No." "I only met him in the reception room before you saw him." "We talked." "And then I saw him again going to lunch at the drugstore, and we ate together." " Attractive, isn't he?" " He's not just a surgeon looking for a job." "It's much deeper and more important." "Only he couldn't tell you that." "Couldn't tell me what?" "If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have gone back into medicine." "What did I have to do with it?" "When he became a graduate doctor and saw what was going on around him, doctors caring more for money than for medicine, he decided to quit." "If he was that easily disillusioned, he shouldn't have become a doctor in the first place." "No, you're wrong." "He always wanted to be a doctor, but on his own terms." "The right terms." "And meeting you in the service and watching you work reminded him how much he'd really wanted it." "He told me about that time at Anzio, how you talked to the men, how you gave them confidence." "There was nothing else to do, so I talked." " I didn't know it impressed anybody." " You changed Jim Crowley's mind." "He realized what a real doctor could be." "And when he was discharged, he went back into practice." "I know I have no right to bother you with this, but it just seems to me, when someone wants to become a surgeon so badly, well, he should get a chance." "He depends on you." "He admires you so much." "Well, if I knew of an opening, I'd be glad to..." "Say, I just thought of something." "I think maybe we can put your Dr. Crowley in business." "Get me Doc Scobee on the phone, will you?" "Sure you have no personal interest in this young man, Lasher?" "Not at all." "I told you that." "Just a moment, please." "Here's Dr. Scobee." "Thank you." "Hello, Doc." "It's Tom Owen." "I think I've found somebody for that job we were talking about." "Sure, he's competent." "He's got a good background." "Needs the job, too." "Yeah, he's young." "He's already charmed my nurse." "His name's Crowley, Jim Crowley." "I'll have him come see you then." "I think you'll like him." "Not at all." "Glad to do it, Doc." "Goodbye." "Dr. Crowley will be so pleased if it works out." "He should be." "You'd better get him on the phone and have him go see Scobee." "Yes, Doctor." "All right, you can button your shirt now." "I think these pills will do the trick." "I'd like you to take one of these every three hours." "Are you the new assistant helping Dr. Scobee?" "Yep, I'm brand-new." "How much do I owe you for these?" "The pills are on the house on one condition." "What's that?" "That you come back next week, and let me see how much good they've done." "I'll do that, Doc." "It's nice having you here in Coalville." " Thanks, Pete." "Nice to be here." " Be seeing you, Doc." " Right." " See you around." "Bye." "Come in." "I hope you don't mind my dropping in this way." "Mind?" "It's a pleasure." "I wanted to see how you were doing." "Well, according to Dr. Scobee, I'm doing just fine." "I've been on the job exactly two days, and I've had one simple fracture, two whooping cough, one skin rash..." "I guess I sound sort of silly." " No, you sound fine." " Well, everybody's been wonderful." "Dr. Scobee, Dr. Owen, you..." "Well, what's this?" "Gray's Anatomy and Bell's Textbook of Pathology." "Dr. Owen sent them over as a good-luck present." " How can I ever thank him?" " By doing just what you're doing." "And this is from me." "Well!" " A letter opener." " No doctor should be without one." "You use it this way, to tick off serious symptoms on your fingers and impress your patients." "Does it also open letters?" "Only when they contain checks." "This and the scalpel." "I'm in business." ""It seems that the only two people surprised" ""by the engagement of Helen Curtis and Dr. Thomas Owen" ""are Helen Curtis and Dr. Thomas Owen. " Is this true?" "There's no need to sound like a district attorney, Dan." "Of course it's true." "We were going to tell you tonight." "I'd better tell you a few things first." "You know what Helen means to me." "I'd do anything in the world to make her happy." "You don't know what you're stepping into." " I'll take my chances on it." " You'll never get a chance." "It's not easy for a man to say things like this about his own daughter, but she'll destroy you the same way she destroyed the others." "Her backyard is full of the bones of explorers." " I don't care about the others." " Neither do I." "All they ever wanted was her money." "Maybe that's all she had to offer." "When she was 21, I gave her a fortune." "The parasites of two continents clustered around her like bees around a honey pot." "I'm interested in your daughter, not her money." "Maybe right now you're not." "Funny thing about money, it's very easy to get used to." "I don't want you to be like the others, Tom." "I want you to be a man with a profession, not just the husband of a rich woman." "Look, I'm a doctor." "I'll always be a doctor, no matter whom I marry." "Are you sure?" "You had a good reputation when you came back here." "What are you now?" "Just one of Gleeson's high-priced pill-pushers." " What's Gleeson got to do with this?" " Maybe more than you think." "I wouldn't trust him to operate on a hangnail." "And, if you don't watch out, nobody with any respect for the medical profession will trust you, either." "And that's when she'll turn on you, when nobody wants you, because there won't be anything left of the Tom Owen she married." "You think you picked Helen for what she is, not for what she has." "But what she is may hurt you, may hurt you both." "Don't let her change you." "I'm warning you." "I'm going to marry her, no matter what you say." "I hope it works, Tom." "I really hope so." "The big parade continued." "Recommended by Helen Curtis, I was the new pet of café society." "It soon became a mark of social distinction to be a patient of Dr. Thomas Owen." "I sometimes remembered the Hippocratic oath." ""I swear by Apollo the physician" ""I will follow that method of treatment which, according to my ability and judgment," ""I consider for the benefit of my patients. "" "You tickle." "For the benefit of my patients, Gleeson's patients." "But when I got too upset, I tried to remember one thing, my bank account." "I'm afraid you'll have to cut down on cigarettes." "No, seriously, am I all right?" "You just need something to quiet your nerves." "Oh, I'm so sorry to have caused you all this trouble, Tom." "No trouble at all, Lucille, as long as you feel relieved." "I certainly do." "I'm glad I was able to help." "You can get dressed now, Lucille." "Will I see you at the Sutton's party Friday night?" " Helen did say something about it." "Yes." " Good." "And I hope you'll recognize me with my clothes on." "Did you find anything wrong with Miss Grellett?" " There was nothing to find." " I figured that." "The lengths to which that type will go to get attention." "She got attention. $250 worth." "Crowley." "Sorry to have kept you waiting." "I understand." "The patients come first." "Well, how have you been getting on with Doc Scobee?" " Can't complain." " I'll be with you in a minute." " Sure." " Just let me fill out this prescription." "Excuse me, Doctor." "Mrs. Rogers will be here in a few minutes for her vitamin shot." " I told her you'd see her." " All right." "This is for Miss Grellett." "One every three hours." "The same thing, headache pills?" "You know the ones." "Tell her I'll call her in the morning." "Yes, Doctor." "Well, if pills will make them happy, I give them pills." "Most of them are suffering from just one thing, too much time on their hands." "An ailment from which my patients can't suffer." "Look, if you're trying to say I'm not really practicing medicine why don't you say so?" "Oh, I wasn't saying anything about you." "I was talking about my patients." "Of course, you know how patients are in a small town." "They expect a doctor to be something more than just a doctor." "They expect him to be a minister, a lawyer, even a banker occasionally." "In a small way." "In a very small way." "Of course, it doesn't come to anything like this." "But it all adds up to quite a lot." " And I like it." " You'd be crazy if you didn't." "Look at me." "Prescribing headache pills, giving vitamin injections, hangover cures..." "Oh, well." "What's the difference?" "As long as the checks don't bounce." " Well, if that's the way you feel about it..." " That's the way I feel about it." "Now then, what was this you were saying on the phone about some of the miners?" "Well, Dr. Scobee said that you once looked at some of his plates." "I have some new X-rays here I'd like you to look at, but I don't want to take up too much of your time." "I'd be glad to look at them." " Yes?" " Mrs. Hardy is waiting, Doctor." " In a second." " I guess I did pick the wrong time." "Well, maybe it'd be better if I ran up to Coalville and examine the miners themselves." "What would be a good time for you tomorrow?" "Well, I could bring some of the men in about 4:30." "What have I got after 4:30 tomorrow?" " Miss Cartwright is coming in." " Well, put that off till Friday." " I'll be there tomorrow." " Thanks a lot." "Be sure to give my best to Doc Scobee." "I will." "Thank you." "That Miss Grellett, perpetual hangover would be my diagnosis." "What do you prescribe, Doctor?" "Alcoholics Anonymous?" "I'll take care of the prescriptions." "Put down acute gastritis." " Very well, Doctor." " Tom." " You doing anything for lunch tomorrow?" " I don't think so." "Walter Ross is in from New York, and I was wondering whether you could meet him at the club and play a round of golf with him." "He'd like to talk to you about the consulting fee arrangement I mentioned to you." " I'm going to be out of town for the day." " I'll be glad to." "Lasher, I have an appointment to look at some of Dr. Crowley's patients in Coalville tomorrow at 4:30." "Please remind me." "I won't forget, Doctor." "Tom, Tom, I'm so sorry I'm late." "Nurse, take care of Pinky." " Yes, Mrs. Rogers." " Now, Pinky, you be a good little girl." " It was Pinky's fault that I was late." " It's quite all right, Mrs. Rogers." " George agrees I'm a little fast." " Better luck next time." "Well, thank you." "As a matter of fact, Tom, I could revolutionize the practice of medicine by prescribing a mop and a book of instructions for every neurotic woman who ever came to consult me." "They'd lose that tired feeling in no time." "Yes, he's right here." " It's for you, Dr. Owen." " Oh, thanks, George." "Hello?" "Oh, hi, darling." "You caught me just as we were starting out." "What's up?" "Well, her stomach hurts." "She's in great pain, and I can't locate Gleeson." "No, I think it's serious." "Well, put an ice pack on it." "I'll be over right away." "This is Dr. Owen." "Get my office for me, will you, please?" "Sorry, Walter." "I'm afraid we're going to have to forget our golf game." " Oh, something serious?" " Oh, I don't think so." "Hello, Lasher?" "Look, see if you can locate Dr. Gleeson." "Tell him he's wanted at Mrs. Nelson's house right away." "I'm going over there myself." "Well, call Crowley and tell him" "I won't be able to keep my Coalville appointment today." "We were just about to have tea when her attack came." "She's had them before." "She didn't want me to call." "Well, what's this all about, Mrs. Nelson?" " Where's Homer Gleeson?" " He'll be along shortly." "What's all the fuss?" "It's only a stomach ache." "Good." "Then let's get rid of it." "How long have you been having these pains?" " The last hour." " I see." "Take a deep breath, please." "And again." "Now, run along." "You've had your fun." "I've got to get some sleep." "Just to be on the safe side" "I think we'd better take some X-rays at the hospital." "Oh, I hate people who always call in doctors at the slightest sign of discomfort." "I'll not move from this room unless Homer Gleeson says so." "I'm afraid we can't wait for Dr. Gleeson." "If Tom says you should go to the hospital, you'd better go." "I've had these attacks before and got over them." "Then I'd better give you a hypo." "In a few minutes you'll be asleep." "Would you prefer that?" "All right." "All right, young man, I'll go." "But you'd better make certain that Homer Gleeson is waiting when I get there." "I'll not allow another doctor to come near me." "He'll be there, Mrs. Nelson." "I promise you." "Pack her things." "Tom, is it serious?" "I'm afraid so." " But Aunt Mae's been through this..." " I got here as fast as I could." " What's wrong with Mrs. Nelson?" " Intestinal strangulation." "Are you sure?" "We'll know as soon as we've seen the X-rays." "I'll call an ambulance." "Tom, if it's what you think it is..." "Then it's critical." "She'll need an immediate operation." "Hello, Lasher?" "Get an ambulance over here to Mrs. Nelson, please." "And post surgery for 9:00, an exploratory." " You haven't got much time, Homer." " No." " I can't handle it." " What are you talking about?" "I can't, Tom." "It's too dangerous." "You saw the X-rays." "She needs surgery right away." "I know, Tom, but the truth is" "I haven't performed a major operation in 10 years." "Dr. Parry did all my surgery." "I'm not in condition." "Do it for me." "You can do it." " I don't know, Homer." "She's your patient." " She has confidence in you." "Yes, but I don't..." "I haven't got confidence in myself." "I told you Dr. Parry used to do all my surgery." "I'm not equipped to handle a delicate operation like this." "We're ready, Doctor." "There was no turning back." "I made a lower midline incision and suddenly I realized this wasn't gold or platinum I was going through." "This was just flesh like anybody had." "This form on the table wasn't Mrs. Nelson, but just another woman." "What do you think?" "Is the incision large enough?" "Not quite." "Suture." "Her heartbeat was strong, but her breathing was labored." "I had to work faster now." "I was going to have to resect." "It was almost done now." "There was one more step." "I sutured over the clamps." "I removed them, and closed the abdominal wall." "It was over." "Well, I guess we can issue the palace bulletin." "The Empress will live." "She'll be coming out of the anesthetic soon." "I'd like to be there." "She's my patient." "She depends on me." "You understand." "I wouldn't want her to think that I had no part in the operation." " Well, we did work on it together." " Exactly." "You did a fine job, Tom, and I wouldn't want to take credit from you." "That would be absurd." "But she is important." "It would be better for the office, for both of us, if Mrs. Nelson's confidence in me remains unshaken." "You want her to think you did the surgery?" " Why not?" " It's not very ethical." "Ethical is a word out of a medical school lecture." "We're in business, Tom, and we want to stay in business, don't we?" " Well, sure, but don't you think..." " Let me handle it." "I've had a lot of experience with this sort of thing." " You do what you think best." " You won't be sorry." " Good night, Doctor." " Good night, Lasher." "It's late." "Have you got a way home?" " There's always a cab out front." " Oh, I'll drop you." " I don't want to put you out." " Don't be silly." "I don't know how that operation would have turned out without you." "I didn't do anything any other nurse wouldn't have done." "Now, there are all kinds of nurses." "I've got one of the good kind." "There are all kinds of doctors, too." "Let's keep this mutual admiration society exclusive, shall we?" "My father felt the same way, except he'd always change the subject and say, "Let's have some coffee. "" "Shall we?" "All right." "Jordan and Burrows' Bacteriology." "Lester Sharp's Introduction to Cytology." "That's the one that had me stumped in school." "I hated it." "You know, you've got quite a medical library here." "I'm beginning to understand why it helped to have you in that operating room." "I was scared, you know." "Really scared." "Did you ever read the biography of Dr. William Osler?" "Not since medical school." "Why?" "He was always scared, too, before he performed one of his really difficult operations." "The Spaniards have a phrase for the way I felt." "Sweating the big drop." "I must have lost seven or eight pounds." "It was one of the most skillful pieces of surgery I've ever seen." " It wasn't the surgery that had me worried." " What else was there to worry about?" "The patient." "You know who that is, don't you?" "Of course." "Mrs. Nelson." "What about her?" "What about her?" "Suppose you're a dressmaker and one day a duchess drops into your shop and says, "Make me a dress. "" "You're made." "You're set for life." " I thought you were doing fine." " Up to now, we've just been a fad, Lasher." "Café society." "The cocktail circuit." "This job on Mrs. Nelson moves us up into the carriage trade." "The carriage trade?" "You're joking!" " What about?" " People like Mrs. Nelson." "Rich patients making you a successful surgeon." "Look, this isn't a chapter out of the biography of Dr. William Osler." "You've been around long enough to know that a doctor's success depends on who he treats, not how well." "I'm sorry, Doctor." "I haven't been around that long." "Well, what have we here?" "A nurse with ideals?" "My father taught me to believe that everybody had them." "Can't you see that you don't need Mrs. Nelson or Gleeson?" "Can't you see that you don't have to become a ghost surgeon?" "A ghost surgeon?" "What do you call what happened tonight, allowing Gleeson to deceive Mrs. Nelson?" "Letting her think that he did the operation?" "Sure, I helped Gleeson." "We're associates." "If he wants all the credit, let him have it." "What counts is Mrs. Nelson." "She's alive." "Or doesn't that matter?" "Of course it does." "But you matter more!" "I haven't seen all the surgery in the world, but I've seen enough to know the best when I see it." "And surgeons like you come along only once in a long, long while." "You're a fine doctor." "All you need is your hands." " Keep them clean." " I intend to." "You can't." "Not the way you've been going." "Good night, Doctor." "What are you doing?" " I'm leaving." " You're leaving?" "I couldn't sleep last night." "After you left, I kept thinking about what you said and what's been happening to you here in this beauty parlor." " This is what you want." " You must have misunderstood me." "I don't think I did." "That's why I'm quitting." "Well, perhaps a raise in salary will help you change your mind." "You think money is the answer to everything." " Money has nothing to do with it." " Have you got a job?" " No." " Where are you going?" "I thought I'd speak to Dr. Crowley first." "Perhaps he can find an opening for me somewhere in his office." "Crowley's office?" "I thought you were too smart to fall for that horse-and-buggy routine." "Don't you know why men like Crowley fall for it?" "Because they're scared of the competition." "So they dig a hole in the ground, a place to hide, and call it a small town." "Why?" "Because they think in a small town they'll be needed" " more than they are here in a big city." " It's true." "He is needed more in Coalville." "Only in Crowley's imagination and yours." "Small towns are just like big ones, except in one way." " They have less of everything." " They have enough for me." "The only difference between Crowley's patients and mine" " is that mine pay more." " I'm sorry you see it that way." "I depend on you, Lasher." "You can't walk out on me." "What about the office, my patients?" "What about my schedule of appointments?" "I've already gone over the whole appointment schedule with Miss Murphy." "You'll find that she is quite capable of taking care of all the office accounts." "I don't care about Murphy." "What about me?" "I'm sure you'll have no difficulty, Dr. Owen." "There's nothing you could do to make me change my mind." " Please let me go." " Not until I understand why..." "Tom, I'd like to talk to you for a moment." "Come in, will you?" "Right away." "Wait here for me." " I just got back from the hospital." " How's Mrs. Nelson?" "Fine." "Annoyed by her room, can't stand the food, hates the nurses and wants to know when she can go home." "All the symptoms of a patient well on the road to recovery." "Well, that's really good news." "I have a piece of better news for you." "I think she's going to sit still for a $10,000 fee." " You're kidding." " I'm not kidding, and half of it is yours." "I'm a man who keeps his word." "I'm offering you a full partnership." "Well?" "What do you say?" "What can I say?" "You've earned it." " Lasher?" " She's gone." "Hello, darling." "I thought she was still here." " There was something I wanted to tell her." " I'm sure she left a forwarding address." " Why did Miss Lasher quit?" " She found a better job." "I didn't know there were any better jobs." "You said she was such a great help." "And good nurses are hard to find." "Why didn't you offer her more money?" " She's not interested in money." " Could it be something personal?" "What are you hinting at, Helen?" "I found out you left the hospital with Miss Lasher last night." "That's right." "I took her home." "I kept calling your apartment until 2:00 in the morning." "Lasher and I were discussing the operation." " Is that what you want me to believe?" " Why not?" "Why didn't you call me when the operation was over?" "She's my aunt." "Or didn't you think I'd be as interested as your nurse?" "It was too late, and I was tired." "It wasn't too late, and you weren't too tired to talk to Miss Lasher." "Look, I've got a long day ahead of me." "Can't we discuss this at dinner?" "Tom, when I first met you, I thought you needed my help." " I never said I wasn't grateful." " Gratitude is no substitute for what I want." " What do you want?" " I'm in love with you, and I'm jealous." "There's nobody to be jealous of." "Darling, I've made a heavy emotional investment in you." " I don't want to lose it." " You're not losing anything." "Then why don't you act as though you love me?" "I beg your pardon." " Good morning, Homer." " Good morning, Helen." " Has he told you?" " Told me what?" "I just offered him a full partnership." "No more associate." "Owen and Gleeson." "Gleeson and Owen." "Owen and Owen." "No, I haven't decided yet whether I should recuperate in the south of France or North Africa." "Aunt Mae, please sit down." "Young lady, it's taken me six weeks to get on my feet, and I intend to remain there for a while." "Especially at a party in which I'm the guest of honor." " Oh, Tom." "Tom, come here a minute." " Yes, what is it?" "Young ladies, will you kindly detach yourself from this young man for a moment?" " I promise I'll send him right back." " Excuse me, please." "Do you know it's becoming almost as difficult to talk to him as it is to see him at his office?" "No, not for you, Mrs. Nelson." "All you have to do is call." "I didn't want to interrupt the performance." " You're getting quite good at it." " That's part of my bedside manner." " Your aunt is simply amazing." " She's lucky." "She has a wonderful doctor." " Thank you." "Thank heaven for that." " For what?" "That you're not one of those doctors who always tell you, in repulsively cheerful tones, how well you look." "That's one of the things I can't stand about Homer Gleeson." "Well, fortunately, he has a great many good qualities." "Name one." " He's a first-rate surgeon." " Is he?" "I've waited six weeks to say this to you." "Thank you for saving my life." "Dr. Gleeson did that." "You've already demonstrated that you're a brilliant surgeon." "Now, don't try to prove you're a bad liar." "Couldn't we discuss this at some other time?" "Yes, we could, but I prefer to discuss it now." "Close the door, Helen." "I found out it was you, and not Homer Gleeson, who operated on me." "Some surgeons are more familiar with certain types of operation." "Some know more about other kinds, but that doesn't mean..." "Oh, yes, it does." "It means a great deal." "I've been raised to believe that the simple rules of honorable conduct apply equally to all human beings." "I see no reason that shouldn't include all doctors." "Homer Gleeson has been my doctor a long time." "For years, I've recommended him to my friends." "For years, I've been under the impression that he was treating them to the best of his ability." "Now, I find he's a fraud." "He's been using the best of other men's abilities." "Does that matter, so long as you and your friends receive the proper treatment?" "I prefer Dr. Owen answer that." "I don't see that you have anything to complain about, Mrs. Nelson." "Rudeness is no answer to an ethical problem." "You're still a young man." "You've made a young man's mistake." "You've wanted something so much that you've given up your integrity to get it." "If I'd stopped to worry about my integrity in that operating room, you wouldn't be alive today, Mrs. Nelson." "What about the other operations you've performed for Dr. Gleeson since then?" "Those patients are just as much alive as you are." " Do they know why?" " What difference does it make?" "I'm asking the question of Dr. Owen." "Of course I'm glad to be alive." "So are the rest of the patients glad." "But that isn't the issue." " What is the issue?" " It's dishonest." "It's like lying under oath in a courtroom." "It's just plain cheating, Dr. Owen, and you know it." "I don't care what you call it." "It's saving lives, and that's my business." " I agree with Tom." " Dr. Owen, an urgent call." "Thank you." "Hello." "Explosion?" "When?" "Ten minutes ago!" "Tom, they need help!" "There it goes again!" "I'll be right over." "There's been an accident at the mine." "I'll be back later." "Keep back!" "Keep back!" "Let them through, there!" "How'd it happen?" "They were opening up a new seam on the third level." "Sprung some gas and a spark hit it." "You'd better help Scobee." "I'll see how bad it is." " Will he be all right, Doctor?" " He'll be all right." " Tom." " I'm all right, Mom." "But Pete and a couple of the others got sealed off." "Doc Crowley's down there now with his nurse, trying to get to them." "You stay here, Doc." "I'm going below." "All right, Tom." "This is as far as we can go." "The vibration might pull the whole thing down." " How many dead?" " Four." "And whatever we find from now on." " Where's Crowley?" " He's inside." " They just broke through." " This can't hold up much longer." "Tom!" "Tom!" "There's three of them in there." "I gave them morphine." "Can they be moved?" "We can get two out, but I don't know about Pete." " Give me the kit." " You get some rest, Crowley." " I'll take over." " No!" "Okay, take it easy." "Easy." "You got him?" "Tom!" "Tom, look out!" "We've got to get him out of here." " What's he doing here?" " He's helping us, Pete." "Just lie still." " When are you going to get me out?" " Right away." "Tourniquet." "Plasma." "How is he?" " Severed artery and shock." " Can you move him?" "Not yet." "Tourniquet." "You'd better get outside, Jim." "Get some fresh air in your lungs." "I'll be all right." "Clamp." "Get outside." "Clamp." "Plasma." "Tom!" "Tom, the whole thing's going to cave in." "Get him out." "In a second." "I told you to get out." "Hurry up." "It won't hold much longer." "We'll have to move him as he is." "Go ahead with the plasma bottle." "Come on, take him." "I'm going back for Crowley." "Jim!" "Come on, get out!" "Get him out." "Get Pete out." "Hurry, please." "It's Dr. Crowley!" "Take it easy." "He's lost a lot of blood." "My boy, my boy, my boy!" "Oh, Pete, my boy, will he live?" "He'll live." "He'll be all right." " Bless you." "Bless you." " Dr. Crowley's the one you should thank." " Well, Doc, you got them all out." " Not quite." " Tom, how bad was it?" " Bad enough." "People were hurt." "Some men were killed." "I'm sorry." "Is there anything I can do to help?" "I'd like to send a check." "I'm afraid I'm not much good at anything else." "Sometimes people don't have a clear idea of what they're like, or what they want." "I asked you to marry me." "I'd still like you to." "Are you sure you want to marry a girl who can't do anything except write checks?" "You'll have a chance to learn a lot more than that." "I'm quitting Gleeson." " You're going back to Coalville?" " I'm going back to medicine." "There was no ghost surgery down in that mine tonight." "I wasn't standing in for Gleeson or anybody else." "I was on my own." "That's the way it's got to be from now on." "A man had to die to drive that into me." "What difference does it make where you practice?" "A few hours ago, right here in this house, you told my aunt that a doctor's business was saving lives no matter whose they were." "A few hours ago, I was still looking for guarantees." "I thought that's what I wanted." "Security." "I just learned that the only security, the only guarantees, the only chance a man's got to win, is the way he uses what he's given to work with." "That's why I'm quitting Gleeson and going back to Coalville." "I could never get used to Coalville." "We're different people." "It just wouldn't work." "I tried." "I really tried, but I couldn't change any more than you could." "I belong here, Tom." " Goodbye, Helen." " I should have known it in the first place." "Good luck, Tom." "I'm looking for Dr. Owens' office." "Can you help me?" "This is it, and if you're looking for his nurse, she's ready to go to work."