The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-03-10

usual). unless something happened to
prevent.
just a day or two before the visitors
were TO leave rs, Sutley came in one
morning with very grave lace.
PROF. Lorings got the smallpox"
he announced. What on earth can
we do for hiin2"
Prof. Loring was a naturalist and
botanist from an eastern college, who
had, few weeks previously, come to
study the fora and fauna of the Willow
Ridge region. lie had, with SUITS per-
mission, built a shantv about two miles
up the creek, where he lived all alone
among his bugs and snakes and lizards,
and we bad seen very little of him, but
that little inclined as very much in his
favor
''He went over in the hills to the In
dian camp for some snakes continued
SUIT, land, of course, caught it there.
When | knocked this morning ne called
to me and told me he had the smallpox,
and to keep away, but to send doctor
if one was to be had. But, great Scott
there isn't doctor within fifty miles,
for Doc Murray went east last week
and he's the only one at Smithburg."
We all sat silent for a moment Then
Teddy, with much concern, for he had
become quite well acq TAINTED with the
professor, and liked him, remarked:
Poor old chap! l don't see what
can be done for him."
HAS he" asked Potter. slowly, nc
one at all, Mr.. Sutley?''
Not a SOUL
Then l will go over and take care
of him. l have studied medicine"
l am sure Miss Carnahan bad not
spoken to HIM for two days or more,
and l had feared it was all over be-
tween them; but when she started UP
and calculated: "Wallace Potter, you
shall do nothing of the sort!" / knew
and was glad that there was still hope
for him and that Massachusetts girl
Then, while we all knew that Prof.
Loring would die unless some one cared
for him-anyhow, perhaps-we inter.
posed all sorts of objections. 1t was
Quixotic, Wild utterly foolish, said the
major. Why, the man was a total
stranger. and the idea was not to be
thought of for an instant Added to
the majors objections and those of the
rest, were his daughters efforts to as.
sert her auth ority. but it was no use.
Potter was firm. at is my duty" he
said, simply, land that's all there is to
it."
Then, Wallace Potter, if you will do
it, shall stay and take care of you"
And Miss Carnahan said it as if she
meant it, and everyone knew that stay
she would.
l don't know what Miss Carnahan
and Mr.. Potter said to each other dur
ing the half-hour they were alone to-
gether, right after the above converse
ton, but l know that when he went
away after dinner, with his basket of
medicines and things, she kissed him
before US all, and then went to her
room, where she remained over an
hour, joining u.s. later on, with sus-
piciously red eyes. | know also that
Teddy that evening, overcome by the
moonlight or something, proposed to
Miss Carnahan, and was kindly, but
firmly, refused. and informed that the
heart he asked for belonged to Mr.
Potter-much to Teddy's after satisfac.
ton, as he informed Sut and myself
Because" said the young man, sit
would have put me in deuce of a
pickle, and, BESIDES 1 didn't really
mean it, 1t was because she looked so
sweet at that moment that l couldn't
think of anything else to say, guess
She's lovely girl, and no mistake,
but
nd in, hot CT kh,1f
veyed d world of assurance that the
little girl in Massachusetts still held
the larger portion of Master Teddy's
eccentric heart.
1t went hard with the unfortunate
sick man. and for time we feared he
could not live; but Potter was fighting
good battle, and fighting to win, and
one morning, when Miss Carnahan
and the scribe rode over. as some of us
did every day, with food and other nee
essaries, the glad look on the worn,
thin face of the brave nurse told us
that the victory was his.
Then Miss Car nahan cried, and called
him a hero, and her dear, darling,
brave boy, quite regardless of the
presence of the scribe. And now" she
concluded, II suppose I'll have to take
care of you just as l know | should"
And SO she did. l suppose that. ac
cording to accepted traditions. l ought
to XIII off poor Potter at this point, or,
at least, bring him to deaths door: but
I'll do nothing of the kind, for it didn't
happen that way. Potter was i'll, it
must be acknowledged, but the story
doesn't end with his untimnlv dap,ise
He didn't even have the smallpox, but
was just laid up few days from nerv-
GUS exhaustion. Then came the end of
the story-at least, of Miss Caruahan's
part. For Potter was pretty weak to
travel, and would need good care, so,
one day, the minister came over from
and performed, in the big
room of the ranch house. a marriage
ceremony as binding as the most fash
iOnable kind that obtain in Naw York