The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-06-06


dan't say t,a4 i bare ny setttt.!
i plans, 3 said & there ssno expects.
don of moving immediate 81
"A well, think II over. There's no
hurry about 4, 3 he answered; sanl, a
chirruping TO his mare, away he ratified:
!. toward the village. a rs 4.
Il followed slowly In his wake, let.
ting the bay choose his. own gHit, Il Pr.
Banks proposition had taken me by
surprise; moreover, It had served to
rouse me to q realization OF the com.
pleteness with which my future was
subject to the caprices of fate. For the 4
for anxiety; but week might change
the situation completely. Suppose.
Lamar should chooseato depart. there
was no certainty thai he would not
leave me behind. Suppose he should
die; it was hardly probable that I
should profit by any bequest. Suppose
his enemies should discover his retreat
and descend upon him; the result, SO far
as was concerned, would be the same.
This last danger seemed to be the least
Imminent Of the three, but it was as
! we'll to reckon it in. had been in his
pay for the better part of year, but,
in reality, was my position improved? z
II had lived in comfort, free from thu,
cares which had burdened me in the
city, had accumulated few hundred
dollars, and physically had been q
gamer by the removal TO the country.
That was one side of the ledger. .. On.
the other could be- read loss of the lit
tie progress I had made in my profes-
sion, absence of settled purposes of any;
sort, and a growth of that often disas.
trous docility which follows unques-
tioning subsection to another's strong;
will. Things could not go on as they
were indefinitely. Sooner or later the
end must come. And then? Was I
prepared TO devote myself to the marrow.
field of & country practitioner, useful
and honorable as it was? Banks had
done me great service; he had reused
me in most timely fashion; but the
awakening had been far from pleasant.
From habit my horse came to u stand
still in front of the village post Office.
and equally from habit I entered tho
place and asked for my mail. letter,
a medical journal, and newspaper
were handed out, and, mechanically
!, thrusting them into my pocket, I
walked to the buggy, climbed in, and
turned my nag's head homeward. Still
possessed by doubts and speculations.
I rode to the farmhouse, and, reaching
il, locked myself in my Office, there TO-
endeavor to arrive at some conclusion.
to choose way out Of my uncertainty.
sat there for hours before achieved
q decision, and it was hardly more than
a compromise. In justice to DR.. Banks,
would tell him it was out of my power
to enter into permanent arrangement
with him, for eventually should seek
more populous district; if be cared
for temporary alliance, such terms as
he offered should be accepted. 4
Catching sight of the newspaper in
my pocket, drew it out, and, as did
so, the letter fell from its folds to the
floor. I picked it up and read the ad.
dress, written in feminine hand, all
angles and straight lines, like the frame
work of house, yet clear and legible.
The postmark was New York. With.
waxing curiosity, for my corresponds
ence was extremely limited, I broke the
seal. %-@ 4
) My dear Dr.. Norris the letter ran,,
: ''.my aunt, Mrs. Loring, desires to learn
whether it will be convenient for you,
to receive her as a patient, and whether
rooms can be secured for us near your
office. She has tried a number of treat
ments since the voyage from Rio, but
none Of them has been of marked bene-
fit to her. She remembers gratefully
the success attending your ministra-
tons on shipboard, and feels confident
that your skill will bring her the relief,
she has sought so long. She asks me to
add that this plan was in her mind when
our chance meeting made it possible to
secure your address.
/ "Yours very sincerely,
IT,. DOROTHY GRAY"
Again and again read these lines,
porting over them as joyously as ever.
did Egyptologistover freshly discovered
hieroglyphs which set at rest much
mooted point. Out above the rest of the
letter stood two words, "for u.s." Mrs.
,horing's niece would hardly leave her,
t4but here was proof that both of them.
would come to Rodneytown. That 1
could succeed in convincing the elder
lady that nothing serious allied her was
hardly possible; it was quite on the
!, cards that after a month or two she
would depart in huff; but, in the mean
time-well, didn't trouble myself
with the details Of that problematical
period. The great central point Of in
terest was that for several weeks, at
least, Dorothy Gray and I would be.
thrown together. For the moment
Lamar, Banks, and all my recent wor-
ries were forgotten. 81
y 'tMrs. Weston" said ], bouncing upon
that good woman as she passed the
door of the Office, "please do me, pgreat.
favor. I have an old friend-patient; I
mean-who is anxious to put herself
under my care. ] must find boarding
place for her. Can't you take her in r, r.
'sWell, now, I'd real like to, doctor,
but I amt got the roon," she IAN.
swered, with kindly regret in her tone s
\ lis she all by herself?' fs,.-. e
ssNo, she isn't" confessed. Her