The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-11-05
NIll.LCnNTINUEp.


>ouse me to n realization of the com.
peteness with which my future was
subject to the caprices of fate. For the
present. TO be sure, there was no cause
for anxiety; but week might change
he situation completely. Suppose
Lamar should choose TO depart; there
was no certainty that he would not
cave me behind. Suppose he should
lie it was hardly probable that |
&hould profit by any bequcst. Suppose
Ais 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
well TO reckon il in. ! had been in his
pay for the better part of year, but,
In reality, was my position improved?
[ had lived in comfort, free from the
cares which had burdened me in the
city, | had accumulated a few hundred
dollars, and physically | had been a
gamer by the removal TO the country.
That was one side of the ledger. On
The other could be read loss of the lit
lie progress l had made in my profes
sion, absence of settled purposes of any
sort. and growth of that often disas
trous docility which follows unques
tioning subjection to another's strong
will. Things could not go on as they
we're indefinitely. Sooner or later the
end must come. And then? Was /
prepared 10 devote myself to the narrow
field of country practitioner, useful
nd hnnnrn "a uC g
lone me a great service; he had reused
the 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 | entered the
place and asked for my mail. 4 letter,
a medical journal. and a newspaper
were handed out, and, mechanically
thrusting them into my pocket, |
walked to the buggy, climbed in, and
turned my nag's head home eward. Still
possessed by doubts and speculations,
/ rode to the farmhouse, and, reaching
it, 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
decision, and it was hardly more than
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
n more populous district; if he cared
for a temporary alliance, such terms as
he offered should be accepted.
Catching sight of the newspaper in
my pocket, / drew it out, and, as did
so, the letter fell from it's folds to the
floor / picked il mp and read the ad
dress, written in feminine hand, all
angles and straight lines, like the frame
work of house, yet clear and legihlc.
The postmark was New York. With
waxing curiosity, for my correspond
ence was extremely limited, | broke the
seal.
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 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-
the success attending your ministra-
tions on shipboard, and feels confident
that your skill will bring her the relief
she has sought so long. She asks me to
add Chat this plan was in her mind when
our chance meeting made il possible to
secure your address.
Yours very sincerely,
"DoROrUY GRAY"
Again and again | read these lines
poring 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.
Loring's niece would hardly leave her,
but here was proof that both of them
would come to \Rodneytown. That
could succeed in convincing the elder
lady that nothing serious allied her was
hardly possible; il was quite on the
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 l would be
thrown together. For the moment
Lamar. Banks, and all my recent wor-
ries were forgotten.
AIRS Weston" said ], pouncing upon
that good woman as she passed the
door of the Office, "please do me great
favor. | have an old friend-patient,
mean-who is anxious to put herself
under my care. l must find boarding
place for her. Can't you take her in?
well, now, I'd real like to, doctor,
but l amt got the room," she an
swered, with kindly regret in her tone.
lis she oil by herself?"
mo, she isn't" l confessed. .''Her
niece is with her."
Little girl. is she?"
''No; young lady," / answered, try
ing to avoid the consciousness of a
twinkle in my hostess eye.
Its TOO bad, I'm sure; but we're a
pretty full house as it is" said she.
However, don't get discouraged. Try
Mis- Clark across the road; she don't
use half that big house since her boys
went out west. tn be n good place,
too. Mis- Clark's a good provider, and
as neat as hull paper OF pins"
Over the way to the house of Clark l
hastened, only TO find its mistress dis
inclined to receive boarders. City
folkS, pofionSu - sha ayerrcd were not