Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-06-18
,.Tbat peslv Hiram oughter been

good 'nough at q pinch near Jolnson's-
Whichever place he went, he oughteIs sbe
back want 10 see him partic lar this
afternoon"
so do I. If he turns up in the next
halt-hour, please let me know of it"
"Yes, indeed, doctor, I'll be glad 10,
she answered; and after Il parting sur
vey of the neighborhood, she reentered
the house. II was the afternoon fol-
lowing the day on which Jones had
come to the aid Of Miss Gray in such
timely fashion, but neither she nor
had yet succeeded in getting an oppor-
tunity to thank him for his assistance.
Both of us were anxious TO prove our
gratitude, and Dorothy, as I knew, had
decided to give him token of it in the
shape of a trinket, q quantity carved
watch charm, which she had picked up
In one of her trips abroad. All things
considered, IL was rather n curious
choice she had made, although the
thing was sufficiently pretty to appeal
to the unframed Instincts of the boOr
she had every reason to suppose him to
be. So far as | was concerned, the
question was more puzzling, but l
had determined to offer him money.
Whether he would accept it was doubt
full. but, at any rate, the proffer might
be made. with the alternative idea OF
picking out some present later on
which would meet his approval in case
he declined the cash.
The half-hour passed with no It'd
ings of the missing man. After an
other fruitless survey OF the road, Mrs.
Weston, dolefully shaking her head,
vanished again, after once more in
forming me that his prolonged absence
was wholly inexplicable. Presently
one of her sons brought my horse and
carriage to the door, and, somewhat
reluctantly l forsook the cool quiet of
the Office TO begin the drive to the house
of one of the patients whom / was
attending during Mr.. Banks GONZALES
cence from his injury. Miss Gray was
reading in the shade of the porch of
the house over the way, and, in hopes OF
.persuading her to join me, l crossed
the road and went up to her.
Really, l should be delighted, but
I've promised my aunt to see her safe
~ off," said she, in response to my in
yitation. You know she is to take
tea in the village, and her hostess is to
sent for her don't know at just what
hour"
"Oh, then there's no hope for me-"
said 1, grumpily. However, l shall
be back in an hour or two. I'm expect
ing Dr. Banks to call for my report
of the case, and he may appear before
my return. If he does, will You kindly
ask him to wait for me? Then, too, IL
Jones condescends to drive up with
his load of gravel, and you happen to
speak TO him, please be so good as to
tell him that l should like TO see him."
'If you care TO wait little" she an
swered, "we may interview him to-
gether. The team is in sight now"
Looking along the track toward the
house of the knoll, saw Mrs Weston's
horses jogging homeward at a trot,
which indicated that the wagon they
drew could not be loaded very heavily.
"Where's the driver?' Miss Gray
asked. do you see him?"
mo, l DON'T" said I. Quiet rs the
team Is, 1t must have got away from
him"
One of the boys ran up to the APP
preaching horses and stopped them.
We could see him pick up the reins
from the ground examine the wagon,
and climb to the scat. By the time
he drove up TO us Mrs. Weston, Mrs.
Clark, and one or two others had joined
the group, and Mrs. Loring, who looked
down from the window of her room.
"Dorothyi Dorothy!" she called out,
"tell me, tell me, has anything hap
pcned? anything terrible? Where,
oh, where is the man? Is he dead?
Is he killed? Oh, Dorothy, I'm sure he
must bel
Don't be alarmed, Mrs. Loring," said
/, saving her niece the trouble of ex-
planning that nobody knew more about
the matter than she did. "The horses
have probably started for home while
Jones' eye was off them. No doubt
he'll be along in On hour or So"
She tried to ask more questions, but
no one took the time TO answer them.
All of us were busily inspecting the
wagon and its steeds. The convey
ance was loaded to perhaps n quarter of
it's capacity. One of the movable side
boards was gone, but that was the limit
of damage.
Its all plain enough" said 1. THE
horses became homesick and trotted
off, very possibly while Jones, not sat
isfied with the gravel he had found,
was prospecting for better. He'll be
here in time for supper, with splendid
appetite from his tramp"
81 guess that's about it," said Mrs.
Weston, with a sigh of relief. But it's
queer, must say. Might as well count
1t day wasted"
(Which is a SHIN New England"
/ whispered to Miss Gray. Come,
now, can't you change your mind9"
She smiled and shook her head.
Climbing into the buggy, ! drove off,
wishing her aunt's teas and social OBJ
servances in Tophet, and trying TO resign
myself TO u dull afternoon. The bay
appeared 10 be unusually slothful, but
let him choose his own pace, and away
we dawdled toward our destination.
The sufferer proved to be convalescing
satisfactorily, but the doctors visit
was an event Of importance, and half
an hour passed before / could get away
from the sick room. Then came a slow
progress back 20 the Weston residence.
AS drove up to IL, Miss Gray emerged
from my office, caught sight Of me, and
called to some one within. a moment
later DR. Banks followed her, and hur-
ried out to the road.
For Gods sake, Morris, come in as
quick as you can" he cried. There's |
been terrible piece of business.
Treasured as to Dorothy Gray safety |
by the sight of her, and therefore ready |
TO deal courageously with the misfor
tune of anybody else, 1 sp1lng TO the |
ground and followed Banls into the Of |
flee. There on a lounge lay Jones, |
his face ashen pale, his eyes closed, and |
great beads of sweat on his forehead; |
his breathing was heavy and sterto- |
rous, and broken by low means. His |
right boot and the leg of his trousers |
had been cut away, revealing the limb |
crushed from the knee down into n |
terrible wreck of bone and muscle, |
with u jagged fragment of the ibia pro-
truding from the skin.
Banks eyes caught mine for an in
slant; both of us read the meaning Of |
the look we exchanged.
mo alternative" said he.
"The sooner the better" j added.