The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-25


For little while there was silence be-
tween them, when Dorison suddenly said:
'Eustace, the first night l ever saw you
q man named Langdon approached you.
GU treated him with considerable hau-
teur. Who is the fellow?"
The young man turned sharp, inquiring
look upon Dorison; his face flushed and
vexed expression came into his eyes.
Why do you ask! He cannot be a friend
of yoursl'
mo, not even an acquaintance but l
have reason for knowing more about him
than l do''
'The fellow was somewhat offensive to
my sister Evelyn the day you saved her
from being run over, l think"
at did not appear to me that Miss Ems
tace relished his assumption of friendship
"I should think not" replied Eustace,
Indignantly. He looked out of the window
for few moments, Dorison waiting for
him to continue. After awhile he said
81 don't know about the fellow, Dudley.
To begin at the beginning, this is all L
know: Something more than year ago
my younger sister, then about fifteen, was
taken seriously i'll and our regular family
physician was unable to do anything for
her, fact he acknowledged himself, aud
suggested the calling in Of other physi-
clans. That was done, but she continued
to decline, and bo.h father and mother
were nearly frantic. When she was at her
worst, and when the physicians were de-
spairing, some one called fathers attention
to young physician named Fassett, who
was making marvellous cures. Our own
physicians, having admitted their inability
to cope with the strange difficulty, could
not object to his being called. He was,
and declared the difficulty to be principally
nervous one, and began q treatment di-
ametrlcally opposed to that she had been
under. Notwithstanding the protests of
her other physicians against the treatment,
she improved steadily. In the course of a
few months she was completely restored to
health. OF course you can understand
that under the circumstances our people
were grateful to DR.. Fassett, and though
father said that from the first he appre-
ciated that DR.. Fassett was far from being
q gentleman, he was loaded with attention
by our people; ne had saved the pet of the
household when she was given up to die.
Then mother and Evelyn fell sick, and they
were both brought triumphantly through
by DR.. Fassett, who is undeniably skill
ful physician, as well as a coarse, vulgar
man. No one can get upon more familiar
terms with family than its physician, and
one day, without consent or permission,
he introduced into the family this fellow
Langoon-an lnsufferable cad-vulgar, i'll
bred, dissipated and coarse. Without re-
orders were given the servants to say no
ore was at home when he called. Father
tells me he had quite a scene with DR.. Fas-
sett over this, and was obliged to tell him
that his position as medical adviser to the
family put him (father) under no social
obligations, and that if, in addition to the
fees he expected, he demanded social recog-
milton for all Of his friends, much as it was
to be regretted, the relations between them
must cease
But that did not end the prosecutions.
Langdon seemed to have secret sources of
information, and turnel up at the theatres
and other public places where our folks
went, and forced himself upon them; more
than that, waylaid my sisters on the street.
This was going on when l returned from
Europe and was told of it. So, the first
time 1t occurred when [ was near l took
Langdon aside and forbade him to speak TO
my sisters or mother again, promising him
jolly good thrashing ii he ever presumed
to 90 so. Hang the cad, if he had shown
light then, or had not subsequently at
tempted to ingratiate himself with me, l
would have had some respect for him.
Eustace hesitated as if he had something
more to say, and Dorison waited for him TO
continue.
Hang it all Dudley, think I'll tell you
the whole story. could not to one l re-
garded less as friend than | do you. The
annoying thing about II all is yet to come,
and it is TO q certain degree humiliating.
The only excuse lies in the extreme youth
OF my sister Dorothy, who is but sixteen
now. Of course she was grateful to Dr..
F'assett, and he naturally obtained con-
siderable influence over her. She began
first by taking up his quarrel against the
family and espousing the cause of this fell
low Langdon. l am quite certain that Fas-
sett mas been endeavorlug to make interest
with Dorothy for Lengdon. At all events
found out that Langdon was managing to
see her alone and she-foolish and romantic
creature-begeu to be interested in him.
He was bent on mischief. His desire was.
OF course, to win and marry her, and force
himself on the family. This is our secret
and the proof of my friendship for you Is
that give it to you"
Thank you" said Dorison simply
I'VE have taken steps to prevent this
thing. Hard as it is, we have had to keep
strict surveillance upon Dorothy for
some time now, and in the spring the fam
lily will go to Europe to escape the fellow.
But this in not my way of dealing with
him or with Fassett. The latter | would
deny the house, and the former | would
deal with vigorously, but everything is
Bonded to prevent scandal. Who the fell
low is, or what he is, l don't know. He
has wonderful Influence over FasseLt,
and in my judgment 1t is not through supe-
rior intellect or force Of character. for he
is in both deficient but through the pos
session of some secret in Fassetts life
OF course, that is q mere superstition and
| base IL wholly on the manner in which
he treats Fassett, and the latters sub
serviency, so foreign to his nature. Eas-
sett says he has known him for years,
and that he was fellow student of his at
western medical college, where be failed
rO folr NV ,ryit1 n
before the close of his term. I've told you
ali l know about the fellow, except that his
associates here in town seem to be thor
oughly disreputable."
81 have no knowledge of him" said Dor
ison, Except that he touches an affair in
which | have some interest, and was
therefore DESTROYS of knowing MORGAN
affair, let me say, lest l be chsrged with
not giving confidence for confidence, which
really belongs to another person. and of
which have no right to speak without his
permission. By the way, did not Bushnell
tell me that you were medical studentr'
Student" repeated Eustace, in mock
indignation; "behold an NJ. d. DR.. Eus-
tace, at your service-I have my degree
Yes, am an Esculapiau. l devoted my
self to the surgical branch, but l have
never practiced. Long before | attained
my degree | abandoned all idea of it.
threw my parchment aside with my books
never assumed my title Why, 1 never
bought an instrument, never even owned
one"
He had answered the very question
Dorison was leading up to before it was
asked.
Shortly after he went away, and Dori-
son, reclining in his easy armchair, picked
up a book and fell asleep over 1t.
CHAPTER XIV