Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-18
AvANNAH MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. APRIL IS, 1886

than was perhaps professionally good for
me. But / had wholly failed to realize
how soon ! myself might be called to Gu
ter their household, although feeling tha1
the necessity Of lialph's sudden departure
might render such an event, vt some time
in the future. highly probable.
Bat the event, as 1t proved, was imme-
date. My conversation With Ralph was
on Friday; on the following sunday he re-
ceiYod a telegram from the doctor attend
ing his mother in Topeka, and the sum-
mons which it conveyed was so i'm
perative that his prompt departure en-
sued.
Thought somewhat grimly Of the Wey-
mouth family after Ralph had left me.
Would the old gentleman act upon my
friends advice and send for me? And If
he did so, with my suspicious reused and
my doubts as to fair play in distinct
mastery, would | not lack the requisite
GOODNESS OF judgment demanded from
one in my peculiar and delicate posi-
ton?
Ralph had been gone two days, and on
the second night after his l~eave-takIug /
sat until a later hour than usual in my
Office. reading certain passages Of a medi-
cal work which bore upon an interesting
case then under my charge. The clock
above my desk mad struck II perhaps five
minutes ago, when a sudden yet very soft
and decOrOus bell peal startled me. /
went at once to the door, and admitted a
stout, q~uiet-loOking elderly woman, who
promptly informed me that she was a SER
want in the house of Mr.. Weymouth just
across the way. Mr.. Weymouth, she
further informed me, was a little unwell
and nervous, and had seen a light in my
office window. He had supposed that /,
DR.. Lodge, was still there, and desired
that / would have the goodness to visit
him if perfectly convenient.
told the elderly woman who placidly
delivered the message tnat | would Imme-
diately obey Mr.. WeymOuth's request.
sac went back, and / soon followed her.
She was waiting my arrival, and had no
sooner pulled the bell at the
door Of the handsome, high-stOoped resi-
dence than she admitted me into it's dim
hall beyond.
l was at once shown to Mr.. Weymouth's
bed chamber. The apartment was well,
though not brilliantly, lighted. The old
gentleman, clad in some sort of flannel
gown. was lying propped up by pillows
on the bed as | entered. His ace inter-
ested me at a glance; it was 50 high-bred
and sensitive of outline. Wrinkles and
sparse gray hairs showed his advanced
age, but the fire of his dark eyes held a
lustre that still spoke of youth.
l think that if it had not been for old
Mr.. WeymOuth's eyes l would have failed
to hazard a guess regarding his kinsman-
ship TO the younger gentleman standing
at his bedside. But in this one respect
the resemblance was striking, and / rap
idly concluded that Mr.. Wilke Wey-
mouth was also present. Nor did l
err, as the next few minutes made me
aware.
Wilkes eyes were indeed marvelously
powerful, aud with what almost seemed
an electric spark amid their deep dusk.
But in no other way was his personality
at ali remarkable. All else about the man
was commonplace and ordinary enough,
except, perhaps, his unusual l~eanness
both OF face and figure.
His manner found somewhat chill and
u%ngraclous.
MY father was convinced that ne must
see you tonight, DR.. Lodge" ne o o said,
though / have ~endeavored to persuade
him that there was no necessity for it. lie
was merely awakened from a bad dream,
and is nervous. Nothing more"
"A bad dream" l inquired, with as aC-
fable a smile as | could muster, turning
toward Mr.. Weymouth.
The old gentleman looked at his son
with a repressed Impotence.
"When / rang for my servant Catha-
rine, Wilke," he said, coldlv, II did not
mean you. And you will kindly leave DR..
Lodge and myself together for a little
WHILE"
,Oh, willingly" said Wtlke. He
glanced toward n OF the doors as he
spoke. by the way, here is Elena" he
said.
l CHANGED, Just then, to be looking di-
rectly at old Mr.. Weymouth. As The words
of his son were spoken he Visibly shUd-
dered; aud a little later, as his eyes tell
upon the advancing form Of his daughter,
| felt convinced that his lips turned of an
ashy pallOr.
Elena Weymouth came forward with a
sweet, unaffected grace, and showed her
self not only n blonde of the fairest and
sweetest type, but a girl Of easy manners
and excellent breeding. There was not
merely a strong physical contrast be-
tween herself and her brother, but one
which appeared to lie much deeper than
that.
"Dr. Prescott has often spoken OF YOU"
she said to me, in her gentle, musical
voice, lifting to mine the soft violet eyes
which appeared to brim both with ianO-
cence and candOr. 81 am sorry, DR..
Lodge, that your first acquaintance
with us should be at so untimely an
hour"
felt charmed by Elena at once, Just as
l had felt repulsed by her brother.
"The hour, I assure YOU" | answered,
sis of no consequence whatever. | only
hope that l can be OF some genuine service
to your father"
at is my wish to sec DR.. Lodge %alone,''
here struck in old Mr.. Weymouth, with
something OF what seemed to me the real
-Querul0usness OF an invalid. "Wilke and
Elena," he now said. with a touch OF
rather decisive command IN his tones, 81
must beg that you will leave myself and
the doctor alone together"
Elena at once approached her brother,
and with a most graceful gesture slipped
her arm intOhis.
Come" | heard her whisper to Wilke,
papa wishes it,, and we had best not
cross him, you know"
Wilke obeyed his sisters tender urgeu-
CIV, though / saw he did so with an evil
dent reluctance.
Certainly" l reelected ''he cannot dis.
trust me. Perhaps he has dlsliked Ralph
as cordially as Ralph disliked him, and
| am now coming in for a share Of the
odiumV
As soon as his children had departed,
Mr.. Weymouth motiOned for me TO seat
myself at his bedside. He promptly be-
gan 10 speak, and his voice was kent eau
tiously modulated throughout all that now
followed Omhislips,
II have faith in YOU" be said. "Even if
| had not heard so much about you from
your friend | would have liked your face
and been won by IT,. DIR. Prescott may