Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-17

eatly-glOVeu manu. 'hO GuiC'' edSVoIuA
costume, the very manner with which
she dropped into the proffered chair.
bespoke the lady.
Turning to my friend. who was
hastily preparing for departure. I said
Il know 1 shall be forgiven for it:
III meet you there, then. in con-
sultation, at-let me see. tomorrow is
a pretty full day-how will zen o'clock
do?"
.Finely-suits me exactly"
I accompanied him to the street
door.
ut has come. old fellow. The
prophet claims his honor. A little
blunder regarding the sex of. your
patient and few of the minor details,
perhaps; but you cam. expect a novice
in prophecy to get all the minuti9
straight"
'.Adieu! Come and report to me at
ten tomorrow" And he ran down
the steps.
watched him for a little down the
dimly lighted street, while l collected
my wits, which the sudden advent of
the lady had somewhat scattered, and
returned to her presence. She sat
where 1 had left her, with the same
graceful, unconscious pose. She
seemed lost in thought as entered.
but glanced up half sadly, half timid-
ly. as seated myself opposite her. A
lits.e woman OF perhaps thirty, with a
sad, refined face.
Il came in to consult you regarding
my husband. who is an invalid, and
wishes you to come to him." she began.
1T may seem strange to you that l
come to you myself at this hour in
stead of sending a servant but having
scarcely left my husbands bedside all
day, felt that must come out and
get a breath of air outside the sick
room or stifle. and Thomas, the foot
man. waits for me outside, SO l am
quite safe in coming, you see," she
said, looking up at me with sad
smile.
''Ah, yes! I saw. She was quite
right"-while / mentally added the
footman to the other evidences of her
social status.
my husband suffered from sun
stroke in August, and since that time
has. unfortunately. been failing steadi-
ly in health. The end. we feel. can
not I>e f,u off che foIfo-o1 u,bi1o che
pressed her handkerchief for moment
to her eyes.
He has wished us for weeks to call
you, but as we had already employed
the best medical skill to be had in the
city. we could see no sufficient reason
why a new physician should be called
to the case"
After short pause:
My poor husband has alW avs been
man of strong likes and dislikes,
and it seems he had observed you for
some time before his unfortunate ill
ness began, and had been strongly at
tracted to you. The last few days his
constant wish for you has had such a
depressing effect upon his condition
that l determined this afternoon to
talk with DR.. X. (naming Que of our
most celebrated practitionersl, who is
in attendance, and his advice at once
was to call you. You understand we
have no hope or expectation that you
can save my poor husband" with q
sob, "but it will please him to have
you do for him what remains to be done
now"
Iacquiesced. understood perfect
ly. Jenkins prophecy-shall ! confess
it?-still ran in my mind.
Would you like me to go with you
this EVENING"" inquired.
''Oh, no. He does not expect you
this evening, and it is SO late. To-
morrow at eleven will do. You have
a consultation at ten, though (ah, she
had taken note of that). would that be
too early, do you think?"
Certainly not. And the address?"
mo. II Broad street"
Did 1 visibly start, wonder did
not know; but the coincidence was
most singular What would Jenkins
say to it all? thought.
The lady arose to depart. As she
did so she extended her daintily-
gloved hand. How small it was and
how neatly-fitting the glove.
You will do all you can for the
comfort of my poor sufferer, doctor?
But / do not need 20 ask"
The door ,losed on her only when. a
little down the block. Thomas had ap-
peared from the shadows in answer to
her reckoning hand, and joined her.
! returned to my office, which some
how seemed commonplace and dull
now that she had left it, and threw
myself into chair before the CRATE
fire. which the chill October evening
had made necessary. As gazed long
and absently into the Goals, now grow
ing dull and ash covered. what visions