The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-15
Doctor and Patient.
A STORY IN TWO CHAPTERS

~ l'fA'a a'hhhAAAtAAAhF ANNhANNA
rather guilty.
lin! You seem to take consider
able interest In this young lady. Has
she any money!
None whatever
Then who paid for her schooling"
Her father left enough to cover most
Of the expense
And you supplied the rcsty'
MAltland's look was enough 10 con-
denim him.
It's q nice romantic story contin-
ued the old man; when do you propose
to marry hcry'
81 don't know replied the young
doctor, perhaps not at all. "
on mean she dpusn' I care for your
mo. ! don't mean that; but | am In
u very peculiar position IN regard to
her"
what is the pcculiarityy'
DO you ask ne to tell your
Yes; why nuty'
II didn't like to do so without your
asking me directly | have reason to
believe that She may he an hciross'
81 don't see why that should stop
you"
NO. perhaps not. though people
would doubt my sincerity in proposing
to girl 50 rich as she may become
1T is very odd that an hcircss should
be governess.'
"Shc doesn't know who she is" cx-
planned Maitland. ~ am the only one inf
the world who does know. Suppose that
| ask her hand-shc may accept mo; al
forwards she discovers that she Is very
rich what will she think Of me, them
She will judge me to be the most des-
picable man in the world.
"Why not tell her she is an hcircss,
aud Nhnf. IL.
the fact that she is rich will only add to
her Willingness To accept you"
81 cannot tell her, because she may
never he sO.n
MIR Fletcher looked puzzled. "Thcre
is more in this than you tell me, Matt
land, he said. You've treated me
very we'll. I've taken liking for you,
and for the girl, too, for that matter. |
should like to help YOU II can, and feel
| have done one Kindness before IL is
out of my power to do any. How did
You come 10 have this girl on your
handsy'
Il knew her father and mother very
well. They died abroad within n few
months of each other | was only "A
very young man then ~ YOU may i'm
agine, but they left me IN charge OF
their only daughter, then scarcely more
than an infant My mother brought her
up, when she WAS old enough she was
sent to school, ~ told you.
This simple recital interested the old
man more than lac cared 10 show. lie
could not prevent his voice from trcm-
bling ms he asked:
is her grandfather alivcy'
Y cS, was the reply.
Why does he not support herr
"lle does not know ct her existence.
He quarrclcd with his son. who went
abroad and died there. telling me never
to let his father know that he left
child. | have kept the secret till now
You may as well finish the story
now you have gone So far, said the in
valid, falling back in his chair. What
was her fathers namcy'
Charles Fletcher
My SOM
Yes, your son.
Then Amy is my grandChldy'
Maitland asSpntCd..
"Shc does not know it,
NO; she IL not aware of the exist
encc of any relative. Your son made
me promise she should he kept in IL
norance of her relationship to you.
shall never tell her"
That will do for tonight. | am
tired and excited; my head aches abomi-
many. / VIII 20 10 Dtu.
Maitland came down stairs as soon rs
hc had seen his patient attended to. lie,
too. felt excited and ievcTish. lie dc
termincd to take II stroll in the cool
evening air. His object had been ac-
cOmplishcd he had made known IN his
patient the existence of his granddaugh-
ter. Would the result answer his cX-
p2ctationsY If 50. what would il be his
duty 10 doy
He was still revolving the matter in
his mind, trying to look ut ii dispassiOn-
ately US an outsider, and, failing miser-
ably. when he heard himself accosted:
"llello, Maitland, thought | recOg-
nized you. Gorgeous night, isn't III
are You in Il hurry"
II must get back soon was the re-
an walk with you, if you don't mind.
The truth is, I've something very i'm
portant to tell you, I've made terri
bic discovery
"Well?' qucricd Maitland.
you know that Miss Fletcher who
is companion or something at the kes-
tertonsp got to talking to her tonight
pretty conlidentially, and somehow hap
pened to ask her the name of her father.
You might have knocked me down with
a father, rs they say, when she told me
it was Charles Fletcher, You know
who he was, suppose
"Mr. Fletcher's SON.
Just so. Sweet news for me, isn't
itY I've always supposed myself the
only relation the old hoy has and he has
told me times enough That I'm his heir
| Now, if he hasn't made his will | shall
be in hole, for everything will 90 to
this girl
she does not know about it, does
sheyn
mo, thank goodness, No one knows
it but ourselves"
"Why have you cOntided in mer" ask
ed Maitland.
There you are, you see, exclaimed
| Dexter. II hadn't decided whether to
| tell you or not, when suddenly you APP
peared before me, and that settled it, 1t
seemed proyidential.
That's scarcely "A sufficient reason
for your action, I'm afraid
mo, by Jove. you're right To tell
the truth for once, wanted to find ont
If the old boy has made a will, and
thought you were the one most likely Ia
know. Then il struck me it WAS quite
possible you might discover the secret
without my help, AS | know you are d
friend of the kestertons and acquainted
with this girl
i've known II "A long time
"llave you, thought Ny instinct was
right, Did my uncle know that Charli,
had a childYn
No; he wished it 10 be kept secret.
"Well, said Dexter, after few mo
ments' deliberation, I'm not AS safe n
l should like to be. II seems to me Nv,
only one course open TO me-, which vii
| insure pVprVthiup turning ont ripht -