Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-01-12

mDuntalacer IN the nest seat lr iu'tA
had come j. at the last station. ana was
slowly taking stock of his surroundings.
lie slouchel forward. with both arms On
the back OF Or. Royal seat al glanced
curiouSly at the sick man.
Pretty bad of. your friend thar, |
reckon. he suggested cheerfully.
My stranger, you mean. Yes hes
bit shaky Hes been ovcrtax.ng his
strength. but he'll be better presently =
with professional manlaaity il tn pres
cnce OF the patient ''Some Of You keep
an eye on him, will you: Unjust speak
to the conductor"
lie addressed nobody in particular, and
his glance swept the car, but he knew he
could depend on his fellow passengers to
attend to his request. The young lady
opposite turned an interested, sympa-
thetic face IN his direction at once, and
the elder one assumed an alert attitude
ard held herself ready for emergencies.
Dr. Royal went forward into the smok-
ing car He had assumed control OF the
case with constitutional impetuosity,
and now set about ordering it III accord
ance with his own judgment. The inn
pOrtant-nay, the imperative-step, to
his mind. was the removal of his patient,
as speedily a. might be, from the joltlng
discomfort of the train to some place
where rest and quiet might be obtained.
He questioned the conductor as to the
capabilities of their next station, and
learned, to his satisfaction, that twenty
minutes would put them in Matoacca, a
good sized town among the mountains.
When. however, he announced his de-
termination to remove the sick man to u
hotel and stop Owe" with HIM until his
people could be summoned, the official de-
INJURED and suggested that the patient
himself SHOULD be consulted.
"What for?' demanded Royal. Every
mile he travels is another nail in his
coffin. He's bound to know that as we'll
as | do. Didn't you say he had been
smashed up? l don't know the extent of
the damage yet, but guess it's consider
able; ana he has lessened his chances by
this Journey. That fellow shall be I'M
dressed, oyerhauled and put to bed be-
fore,t two hours have passed, as sure as
my name is Hart Royal. That's all there
is about it. He'll have tough fight for
his life anyhow, and losing fight,
without some help"
The conductor caught at the name.
"Royal," be repeated that's the name
on his traps. He was put under my care
special you know. Are you kin to one
another
"God knows Royal replied. with
smile. 1T isn't at all unlikely, if his
people should be native Virginians.
Mine came from hereaway, and we
have the same name all through, which
don't seem natural for mere coincidence.
I'll look after him q bit on the chance
that it may be SO. Blood's said to be
thicker than water
The man still hesitated
He was in the devil of swivel to get
on" be- objected 1T looks sort O mean
to balk him, without giving him a
show"
Royal struck in imperiously: "Some-
thing a damned sight more serious than
delay is going to happen if he isn't
baked. | ought to know what I'm
talking about. | reckon. I've been at
the trade long enough to diagnose a
case" Then he added more practically:
81 know what's on your mind. | heard
what You said to the fellow in the other
car and saw the mans badge, too. It's
all right. This affair is as much my
business as tits yours, and on the same
ground-more, perhaps, if he joined the
lodge in Philadelphia. Most 'meds' do"
Then followed certain communications
between the men which resulted in the
complete withdrawal of the official pro
test.
''All right, sir" he assanted cordially.
You are the best judge, of course, and,
as you say, its as much your business
as It's mine You understand why |
was obliged to hold back at first. The
poor fellow seemed so set on gettin' on,
and I'd been charged to help him.
Royal nodded. He's too used up to
be set on anything now,' he remarked.
And then he went back into the other
car.
CHAPTER Ii.