Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-09-14

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CHAPTER xxv.-THE DOCTOR IN DIFFicUL
TIES.
Slowly the weeks passed. Strictly Mrs.
Vimpany kept her promise.
When she heard from Iris the letter was
always sent to Hugh, TO be returned after
he had read il. Events ia the lives of the
ne.Fly-married pair. many Of which point.
ed to the end that Mrs. Fimpauy saw and
dreaded, were lightly, sometimes testing.
ly, related by the young wife. Her blind
belief IN her husband. sincerely asserted
In the earlier part Of the correspondence.
began 10 betrdy. in her later letters, signs
OF self-delusion. II was sad, indeed, to
see that bright intelligence rendered ia.
capable OF conceiying suspicious which
might have occurred to the mind OF o
Child.
When the latest news from Paris follow.
ed, ia due course, MOurtjoy was Informed
OF it by a note from Mrs. Vimpauy, ex.
pressed In these terms:
my last letter from Iris il really no let.
ter at all. 1t simply i~ncloses a circular,
with her love, aud asks me 10 send il on 10
you. II II Is 10 your power 10 make in.
qniries in the right quarter, | am sure
YOU will not hesitate To take the trouble
There can be little doubt, AS | think that
Lord Harry is engaged in a hazardous
speculation, more deeply than his wife il
willing TO acknowledge
The circular announced the contemplate
ed publication Of a weekly newspaper.
printed partly IN English, and partly in
French, haviug its chief Office in Paris,
aud being intended to dispute the advant-
ages Of "A European circulation with the
~well-knOwn Continental Journal called
GdligHdat's Messenger. A first list of
contributors included names OF some no
tOriety IN the literature OF England aud
the literature OF France. Spectators who
Nyiaha1 ~ EnnR in the first nlupa ~,
what security they might reckon, were re
ferred TO the managing committee, repre-.
sented by persons OF importance in the
financial worlds OF London and Paris.
Being In a position To make the inquiries
which Mrs. Nimpany had suggested, Hugh
received Information which verified the
statements contained In the circular, and
vouched for the good faith OF thos. per
sons who were concerned in directing the
speculation. SO far, 50 good.
But. when the question Of success Wac
next discussed, the authorities consulted
shook their wise heads. 1t was impossible
to say what Losses might not be suffered
and what sums Of money might not be re
CURED before the circulation Uf the new
Journal would justify the hope Of success
This opinion Hugh communicated to Mrs.
Nimpany; Iris WAS informed OF it by thai
days post.
X longer time than usual elapsed before
dilf TN hEh = VI ISbth IL 4 alAtl III
wife was received by Mountjoy. Wher
he did at last hear again from Mrs. Vimp
any. she forwarded u letter from Iris datet
from a new address, in the suburb Of
Paris, called Passy.
From motives OF economy Iris wrote
her husband had decided on a change vi
residence. They were just established IL
their new abode, with the advantages Of
"a saving in rent, a pretty little garden tC
cultivate aud purer air To breathe thar
the air of Paris. There the letter ended
without the slightest ailusiou to the forth
coming newspaper, or 10 the opinion that
had been pronounced On the prospects o
success.
Ia forwarding this letter Mrs. Vimpauy
wrote on the blank page as follows: II an
sorry TO add that some disquieting uew,
Of my husband has reached me. For The,
present | will say no more. IL is at leasl
possible that the report may not be worthy
of belief.
A few DAYS later the report was con
tirmed, under circumstance which haC
certainly not been fOresecn. Mr., Nimpany
himself arrived at the hotel GA 4 yislt Il
Mountjoy.
Always more or less superior 10 the
amiable weakness of mOdesty, the doctor
seemed Ia have risen higher than ever in
his own estimation since Hugh had las
seen him. He strutted: he stared conf
IDENTITY ut persons and things; authority
was in his voice when he spoke. and lofty
indulgence distinguished his manner whet
he listened.
How are your he cried, with q grand
gaiety. as he entered the room. Fin,
weather, isn't It. for the time Of yeari
You don't look well. / wonder whether
you notice any change in mef"
You seem 10 be In good spirits" Hugh
replied. not very cordially.
do l carry my head high'" Mr.. Vimp
any went on. When calamity strikes al
a man, don't let him cringe and cry foI
pity-let him hit back againl Those are
my principles. Look at me. Now do look
at me. here | am, a cultivated person,
member Of an honorable profession, Il mar
Of art and accomplishment-stripped o.
every blessed thing belonging to me bat
the clothes | stand up in. Give me your
hand. Msuntjoy. It's the hand, sir, Of 6
bankrupt"
"You don't seem to mind it much
MOuntjOy replied.
why should | mind it," asked the doc |
tor. There isn't a medical nan in En-
gland Who has less reason to reproact
himself than | have. Have | wasted
money in rash speculations! Not a far
thing. Have | been fool enough to bet al
horse racesp My worst enemy daren't say
II OF me. What have done, then? have
toiled after yirtue-that's what | nave
done. Oh, there's nothing TO laugh at!
When A doctor tries 10 be the medical
friend Of humanity; when he only asks
leave 10 cure disease. TO soothe pain, &c
preserve life-isn't that yirtuei And what
Is my rewards! | sit at home, waiting for
nv suffering fellow-creatures; and the
Oniy feollw-creatures who come to me are
too poor 10 pay. | have gone my rounds
calling ON the rich patients whom | bought
when bought he practice. Not n OF
them wanted me. Men. INT and chill
dren were all ineXcusably heaithy-deyil
take them! IL IL wonderful if a man be.
comes bankrupt. in such "A situation ~
mine, By Jupiter. | go farther than that
/ say, a man owes il to himself {as IA pro-
test against undeserved ncglect) To becom.
a bankrupt. IL you will allow me. I'll
take u chair"
He sat down with an air OF impudentiu.
dependence, and looked round the room.
A little cabinet. containing liquors. stood
up again. May ! take a friendly liber
typ he said-and helped himself, without
waiting for permission.
Hugh bore with this, mindful of the
mistake hat he had committed in con.
senting To receive the doctor. AT the
same time. he was sufficiently irritated tc
take q friendly liberty on his side. He
crossed the room To the sideboard, and
locked up the liquors. Mr.. Vimpany's
brazen face flushed deeply mot With
shame); he opened his lips 70 say som.
thing worthy Of himself. controlled the
impulse, and burst into a b%oisterous
laugh. He evidently had some favor still
TO ASK,
"Deyilish goodf' he broke out cheerful.
w. DO you remember the landlady's
clarets Ha, you don't want TO tempt me
this time. Well! well! to return 10 my
bankruptcy"
Hugh had heard enough of his visitors
bankruptcy. Il am not one Of your cred
itors," he said.
Mr.. Vimpany made a smart reply:
Don't you be too sure Of that! Wait .
little"
ID you mean" Mountjoy asked, that
you have come here to borrow money of
me?'
"Time--give me time.' the doctor plead
ed, this Is not a matter 10 be despatched
in a hurry: this is a matter of business.
You will hardly believe it," he resumed.
but l have actually been ia my present
position once before" He looked towards
the cabinet OF liquors. III i naa the
Key" he said, II should like 10 try u droI
mora nf varr mod Cuvaan, Nnu annf