Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-07-16


would need to take nothing with them
out of this world. 1t would not be
pleasing to be classed as a fortune
hunter. All the philosophy available
would not remove the sting from that
reproach.
Meditating these things, l fell into
habits entirely reprehensible from the
standpoint of everyday sanity. l sat
up late o nights, | smoked more strong
tobacco than was for my good. took
to moping and violent language. On
the whole, it was fortunate that my
practice was limited-fortunate for
both me and my supposititious patients.
Whether anybody guessed the charac-
ter of my thoughts, or fathomed my
moods, was a matter almost of inditfer'
ence. I told myself that the mask
should always be worn in the presence
of Mrs. Loring and her niece; as for
the others, their opinion did not count.
AS a matter Of fact, l imagine that my
secret was known to all the women
thereabouts, and perhaps to some OF the
men. Banks now and then cracked
Jokes at my expense of a character
which gave ground to believe that he
had made shrewd diagnosis of my
malady But, when all is said and
done, the simple truth is that l wns
as nearly at my wits end, even with
the ghost of the coloneps rivalry ex-
orcised, as probably half the adult
males of the nation would own them
selves TO have been on various occa-
sions, would they but make confession.
Mrs. Loring was unquestionably the
better for her life in the country. She
still kept herself under the discipline
of an invalid, though the precaution
was entirely unnecessary. Her appe-
tite was excellent, her nerves were al
most forgotten, the daily record of her
symptoms was limited to an entry of
few lines, in place of the pages she
had covered at first. She often failed
- -or..s.,-l.e- tlaa. rrae her physician,
and suffered me to depart without
hearing word bearing on her long
cherished aches and agonies. She had
become acquainted with everybody in
the village; nobody knew better than
she the true inwardness of every piece
of mild scandal retailed from one end
of it to the other. She was hand in
glove with the ringleaders in its social
diversions, and was the moving spirit
in an terprise which promised to
eclipse anything of the sort ever at
tempted in Rodneytown. This was no
less than u "Fete Internationale," as
tie programme had it, in which youths
and maidens of many lands were to be
personated by the young people of the
village. There were to be tableaux,
recitations, music and dancing, and al
together somewhat ambitious list Of
advertisement Mrs. Loring had as
sumed the responsibility of designing
the costumes, a duty which she was
we'll fitted to perform, for she was
blessed with n keen eye for color eff
fects, and her travels had made her
Trustworthy source OF information re
garding the details of the picture il
was proposed TO present. There were
no suggestions OF invalidism in her as
she hustled about on her congenial
tasks; the buster she was, the greater
her content. The fcte was to her n
mental and physical tonic, more bene-
flcial than any possible combination of
chemicals. This I realized, but with
the perveree pessimism brought about
by my season of unrest, feared that IL
would result in opening her eyes to
the truth that she needed no physician.
And when that discovery was made,
how long would she and her niece tarTy
in that quiet ncighborhood?
The weather about this time took a
| turn for the worse; for 4s hours a
dense fog hung over the coast. It
thinned somewhat by the third morn
ing. Tho banks of mist were drifting
seawurd when I plodded across the
plain to the house on the knoll. Lamar.
1,evho was awaiting me In the living
appeared 10 be giving himself up to
| idleness, for there we're no books on the
table at which he sat, and he seemed
TO be unusually willing to engage In des-
ultory chat. After a little, he told
me that lie had been feeling far from
well for some weeks, and that the de-
pressing weather had aggravated This
| trouble.
TO a stranger he would have looked
a sick mon, but perhaps association
had blunted my perceptions in his case,
and his words surprised me. Assured
| ly he was no weaker than on the night
when he first came to me. II there
| had been any change, IL had been an
| Improvement The old mir of the fu-
gitive had in great part disappeared,
though he still gave one the impression
of continual vigilance.
H. 1auarIlNa1 hfa with h{a
habitual deliberatencss, closing the ac
count with a statement that he believed
his heart to be affected seriously, and
that he desired me to examine him at
once.
az am afraid that you are correct in
your diagnosis" said /, when the task
had been accomplished. There is car
| diac trouble. 1t is far advanced"
"Its character"
"Valvular. / should like a consulta-
| ton ut once"
"Of what advanta4e2" he asked, as
coolly as il he were not discussing his
| own death sentence. Tho disease Is
| mortal. Treatment cannot cure It,"
"But it may prolong life" l urged.
Besides, it Is only fairness 10 yourself
TO have an experts opinion. Take my
! advice"
Pardon, but must decline TO do so.
/ am content with your skill unaidcd.
| II is a confirmation of my own suspicion.
! The end is not so much; l have the
warning-it is all desire"
lie was silent for little, this strange
being, his expression unchanged, his
/
spoke there was no hint Of emotion in
his voice as he asked the question /