The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-10-15
GyyS5;5RAl5sIz .!
& ss.5 s 81
PATIENT.
by MilliamT NlehoI,
tCoryrieht 1895, by J B. Lippneott Col
IcOpyrisht 1885, by J B. Lipplneot Col
IN.-CoNrI~rEn.

Il stared at MIN N DlHnk a1laXcfnenI.
What could he mean? Did he propose
to retain me as his private physician ?
Was he sufficiently wealthy to indulge
IN such luxuries? His dress told moth
ing on that score. He might have
been thrifty mechanic or million
airc.
ut is my WISH" he went on, "first
TO travel, but not far, then to seek re-
tirement of the quietest, Once you told
"a friend, a friend"-he repeated the
word as il TO emphasize it,-"of place
near the sea, solitary, remote. Is it
rot SOP"
Eyes, ] remember" said /, my
thoughts flashing back to the conver-
satiop on the last night with Perez.
my health is precarious," he con-
tinued. II wish to be not disturbed,
to be guarded from intrusion, as well
as to receive medical attention when
necessary"
"In other words" l suggested. you
wish me to accompany you to the spot
you have mentioned, TO remain with
you, and TO see to it that you have the
privacy you desire"
1T is as you have said"
You ask n speedy decision?"
Immediate"
/ looked at him doubtfully, as well
I might after receiving such proposal.
He gauged my thoughts, no doubt, for
he pressed me on the point where re-
sistapce would be weakest.
You will be amply remunerated," p"
i hn fnr rx-hi hi.h
will be agreeable, and which will suf-
fee to repay your loss in leaving the
city?"
The appearance of the room might
have told him how little that loss would
be. More to test him than with any
well-defined idea as to the value of my
services, said:
1.-Two thousand dollars a year, and
expenses, with an allowance for clos
ing up my affairs here"
"It is agreed. Let us bind the bar
gain" And with that he drew from
his pocket roll of bills and held them
out TO me.
when shall the arrangement take
effect?" / asked.
Now, from this moment Shall it
be SOP"
/ hesitated, but only for an instant.
The sight of the money overpowered
my doubts-it represented so much to
one whose fortunes were so desperate
YES" said /, from this moment"
And l took the roll of bills.
l had acted upon impulse, but it
may be that long deliberation would
ltsfNr ol, 1.,
i knew nothing of the man, except
that he bore q token from my best
friend. / was ignorant even of his
rame, for from the first / understood
Lamar to be an alias. At his motives
l could hardly guess, but it was most
probable that he was a political exile.
At all events, association with him
could not change my condition for the
worse. There would be at least the
prospect of a decent livelihood; and
very alluring that prospect was. In
short, it was difficult to discover how /
should be the loser. A moderately
successful practitioner would have
smiled at such an estimate as / had
placed upon my services, but the ex-
periences of the last year had not been
conducive of ovcr-confidence. So, now
that L had put myself under this
strangers orders, j lost no time in
asking him what the firSt of them
might be. He replied that he was anx-
ious to leave the city at once.
There is little to detain me-" said
II dare say L can be at your disposal
by ten o'clock tomorrow morning"
Not so. We must Depart tonight "
he answered, decisively.
What? Tonight? There is no train
at this hour"
Il comprehend. But prefer car.
riage beyond the environs. One can
be obtained, can it not?'
"Yes."
Then arrange for il at once. You
may return for time, IL there is need
Here was haste with n vengeance.
Still, if he desired it, SO should it be.
1t mattered little to me how the night
was passed. He was paying for his
right to command, and he should have
the worth of his money.
"a conveyance shall be at the door
in half an hour" SAID /. "Will you
await it here?"
mo. But 1 will return in the time
set" said he. "First pledge me again
to maintain faith"
i gave the promise, and saw him step
out into the night, without concerning
myself greatly as to the probable out
come of our alliance. Then went my
way to rouse up the owner of livery
stable near by and to bargain with him
for vehicle. Although he had never
profted by my patronage, he knew me
TO be physician, and therefore sup
posedly subject to late calls from dis
tant patients. l had decided to drive
10 Merton, a town about 20 miles away,
on the line of railway we would use in
our journey. The man exacted n stiff
price for the carriage, but there was
no hagsling over it, for got as much
pleasure as he from the exorbitant sum
he demanded; there was certainly more
of novelty for me in participating in
such n transaction.
When, at the time appointed, Lamar
returned to the Office, he carried small
black satchel, which apparently con-
tanned all the effects he cared to take
with him. The carriage was at the
: door, the driver grumbling to himself